


Long Live the New Dynasty || Namjoon x Reader

by Dina_soar



Category: EXID (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Angst, Death, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fighting, Flashbacks, Guards, King - Freeform, Minor Character Death, Romance, So many flashbacks, Soldiers, Swords, Violence, forbidden love almost, other bts members make short appearances, you're a guard called a guardian angel, you're not an actual angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:40:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 48
Words: 239,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23462569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dina_soar/pseuds/Dina_soar
Summary: Historical AUCan Fate be changed or is it set in stone? A tale between a King and his guardian angel.(A/n: We back at it again!)
Relationships: Kim Namjoon | RM/Reader
Comments: 27
Kudos: 118





	1. In Media Res

The seven of you were trapped in the small dark room that you worried would be the last thing you see. Breathing heavily, you held in the urge to scream and shout at her guards. There was something they wanted, but you couldn't give it to them. You would never give it to them. Gritting your teeth, you kept your head down as they restricted your arms up with rope. It pinched at your skin, scratching anytime you made any kind of movement. None of you were hurt. Yet. You didn't know how long they would spend solely trying to intimidate all of you. It won't be long before one of you dies or all of you leave this world together.

That was something you wouldn't allow. It was something _they_ wouldn't allow. Not with your King taken and held in a different area. Swallowing, you glanced to the side to see your fellow angels. The six of them were roughly tied up as well. There was no mercy in the guard's eyes as they circled around all of you. Even if you held an ounce of worry, it would not be displayed on your face. You've trained all your life to be a guardian angel for the King. Were you meant to fear death now? Despite not having a problem with the idea in the past, now you finally felt some hesitance towards it.

Keeping a stoic expression, you had to follow what the others were doing. None of them had fear in their eyes. Nothing. They kept their heads straight forward with their eyes scanning the entire room. A cramped clay room with one small window that had two iron bars in it. There was no door to the room, not even a gate. That could make an escape easier though it was the only entrance and exit to this entire cramped building. Five guards were handling the seven of you in total. Two outside and three inside. One held a torch while the other two were armed and ready if any of you made a move. You remained calm as one guard held up his sword towards you all.

"Which one of you is it?" He held the blade close to the angel who was tied at the end of the line. The youngest who didn't even blink. She only glared at the guard, adding fire to the guard's impatience. "You?" He stepped to the side, letting the tip of his sword hover close to each girl's neck. Only silence replied to the guard who slowly made his way over to you. His eyes narrowed on you, looking you over from top to bottom as he brought the blade near your throat. "Or...is it you?"

Nothing left your lips. You were going to stay silent yet you felt it in the air. The rest of the girls grew tense the minute the guard aimed his weapon at you. He could kill you in an instant if he wanted to. You didn't have to say anything for him to make that decision. With your heart pounding inside your chest, you didn't say a word. The guard slowly lowered his sword to aim it towards your stomach, teasing the idea of plunging it straight through your body. You refused to feel lightheaded or show any signs of weakness. He won't get it out of you nor from any of the angels.

"Which one of you is the Queen?"


	2. Dying Wish

Ch.1

Fate is a concept so strong that it is impossible to break away from. If anyone were ever to go against it or defy it, they would pay the price. But who would question fate to begin with? Certainly not you. It never crossed your mind to question whether it was right or wrong. To you, it was simply a way of life to accept the hand you had been given. Everyone else was the same except those who felt wronged. Those people were the ones who were wrong though. They are born the way they are meant to be and you were raised knowing your meaning as well. Since the day you were born, you were destined to die for the Crown Prince if need be. As long as his Majesty lives to lead the nation.

You come from the Yeon household. They are nobles who were granted the gift of birthing one of the many angels to protect the Crown Prince. Seven noble families in total were given this honor by a royal shaman many years ago. This has been running in your bloodline before your parents were even born. The eldest daughter of each family is fated to protect the Crown Prince for his entire life. It was something you didn't fully understand when you were younger, but it became clear as you grew older. There was no doubt in your mind that you would do anything for the Crown Prince. You are one of his guardian angels.

The guardian angels are only women. They are different from the rest of the guards and soldiers under the royal family. It is only the angels who are required to be with the Crown Prince at all times. Whether he has only one or all seven by his side is up to him. The Crown Prince cannot be left alone though. That is the biggest rule that has not been broken. It's particularly easy watching over the Crown Prince seeing as he mainly likes to read in his royal chamber or in the library. He never really participates in the government despite being of age. He became twenty this year yet insisted to his mother, her Highness, that he didn't want to take the throne.

It left the entire nation in shock that their Crowned Prince hadn't become King. The nation was to continue being led by Queen dowager? The royal King had passed away due to an illness and the Crown Prince was too young to take the throne. It's been years under the Queen's rule. The news even left you and the rest of the angels shocked. The Crown Prince doesn't speak often to his angels. He mainly speaks to his royal chief advisor and a few servants. He's a very quiet man, but incredibly intelligent. That's why it surprised you that he didn't take the throne. It's his fate? Though it was a concern of yours, you kept silent. Who were you to question his Highness's actions?

That left her Majesty in charge of Goguryeo. Everyone continued to carry loyalty towards the Queen. Anyone who objected would be put to death or threatened. Tortured if the Queen requested it. In your opinion, it is the subjects who are cruel. Why would they question her authority? None of them knew the Queen was sick. Only the royals of the court were aware of her state and the Crown Prince himself. It won't be long before the Crown Prince will _have_ to take the throne. A sickness had reached the Queen and now the pure Kim dynasty was hanging on a thread. Not many pure bloods remained to continue the bloodline. Then with the subjects angry and confused, they wanted the Queen to abdicate her thrown. She's supposed to have that talk with the her son very soon. Hopefully he'll listen to her. This was the one time she asked the angels to leave the Crown Prince alone.

This was your opportunity to come out to the market. The capital was busy and crowded as always. Many vendors lined up the streets, attempting to sell their goods. Merchants selling salt, cloth from the west, bread, fish, weapons, and all sorts of items. You walked down the streets with a couple people staring at you strangely. It wasn't odd. They were doing so because you weren't dressed the way a woman should. There was no pretty gown for you or even rags to wear. Instead, you were dressed as a man only by clothes. This attire allowed you to fight whenever you needed to. If you were by the Crown Prince, that's when you would be wearing your armor which would look even stranger to citizens.

"Miss! Care to take a look at our beautiful dresses?" A man called out to you. Turning your head to face him, you eyed his shop for a bit. All the gowns were brightly colored which captured your attention easily. His smirk grew as you took a step closer to his stand in awe. "A lady like you shouldn't be in such attire! You have to try on at least one dress!"

"I'd love to wear one...someday." You left out a gentle sigh. There have only been a few times you've been given the chance to wear a dress. Only during festivals held by the royal Queen. Even then though, you had a knife under your full skirt.

"Why not at least try one on?" He urged, picking out a light blue one.

"I don't think so." You softly shook your head, taking a step away from the vendor. His eye twitched at your denial. He must have thought he had a chance to sell something to you. Just as he was about to curse you out, his eyes landed on the large sword attached to your belt. He swallowed hard as you walked away with no real intention to spend any of your money.

In all honesty, you have no idea why you brought money when you knew you wouldn't buy anything. You never bought from any of these vendors. Their prices would always be too expensive. None of them were worth bargaining with. The only one you could trust was an extremely wealthy merchant that the Queen would always do her trades with. She received most of her supplies from this merchant who she thought quite highly of. Anyone the Queen approved of was approved by you as well. Tucking your pouch of money inside your coat, you continued to stroll around the area. The other angels were roaming around too and they seemed to be catching just as much attention.

"Yah! Learn manners before you try to come in here again!" An old woman shouted. She shook her fist covered with flour. It looked like she was the owner of the bread stand. As she returned to her store, you noticed two of your angels causing trouble. They stumbled into the busy streets, bumping into people and one of them almost getting stepped on by a horse.

"Oh! Oh! I almost died!" Jeonghwa jumped away from the large animal. She clutched her chest, breathing heavily while the other was giggling uncontrollably. You began to walk over to them, gently shaking your head at your fellow angels.

Park Jeonghwa is the maknae of the guardian angels. She's only one year younger than you, but you always try to remind her that you're her unnie. You can't help it since you've grown accustomed to looking out for her. Ever since she was younger, you always made it a point to protect her and have her learn from you. Jeonghwa is a beautiful girl who has grown to live life her way. A six year old can only teach a five year old so much. She is incredibly energetic and a bit troublesome. Not to mention, she gets scared quite easily by bugs yet she has seen horrifying gruesome sights. Some things just don't make sense.

Then she was also given a royal duty by the Queen specifically. Jeonghwa is in charge of being a spy. If the Crown Prince ever desires information to be dug up then Jeonghwa was the angel to handle the job. So far the Crown Prince has only ever used her skills when he was a young boy. He hasn't needed her assistance since he's become a young adult. It was a shame, but Jeonghwa always trained and made sure her skills never rusted. She's making herself a strong fighter, light on her feet, and doing her best to think creatively for whenever the Crown Prince soon needs her again.

"Ah! All I wanted was some sweet bread!" Hyelin frowned, putting her hands on her hips. She turned to face the store with an upset expression. "Fine! Don't get my money! Even though I could have eaten to the point where you could confuse me with a pig!"

"Unnie, stop." Jeonghwa grabbed Hyelin's wrist. Now wasn't the time to start shouting such nonsense. You couldn't say you were surprised by your unnie's shouts.

Seo Hyelin is something else. She is full of surprises at times and other moments, you know exactly what she was going to do. Hyelin is bright and silly which you enjoy towards the end of the night. Right when everyone is going to bed is when you appreciate her bubbly personality. The only time you wished your unnie wouldn't act immature is moments like these. You tend to act older than her even though she's older by one year. Then there's also the fact that Hyelin is a strong fighter. She's very skilled and it's easy to forget that when she's often in her own world.

The royal duty given to Hyelin is communications. She handles writing letters, sending them, and even translating if needed. She is always there to assist speaking to outsiders of the nation. Hyelin is excellent when it comes to easing tension and making others feel comfortable. Like Jeonghwa though, her talents haven't been used by the Crown Prince. He prefers to write his own letters and usually has his advisor send them. His use of the angels was kept to a minimum that the Queen would occasionally scold him for not using everyone's potential.

"Unnie! Jeonghwa!" You crossed your arms as you stood in front of them. There was no need to be causing such a scene in the middle of the street. The angels already stick out like sore thumbs. All of you were dressed like men, obvious weapons were attached to your belts, and now all this noise. "This is what happens when we're not watching the Crown Prince. We begin to act like idiots because we don't know what to do."

"Don't say that, Unnie! I was just joining her for bread," Jeonghwa explained. "We know how to act when we're off duty!"

"Not really, but we'll pretend we do," Hyelin mumbled. Jeonghwa shot her a glare as another sigh left your lips. At least that was one thing you could rely on Hyelin for at all times. Honesty. You were going to suggest heading towards the palace again when loud shouts were heard.

The three of you turned your heads in the direction of the yells. What was going on? Already, the three of you had your hands hovering over the handle of your swords. Ready to unsheathe them at the sign of danger. It looked like the noise was coming from the drinking house. So much people were drinking at this hour? You began walking towards the place with Hyelin and Jeonghwa following closely behind. They remained alert until you stopped in your tracks. Turns out, there was nothing to be worried about in the end after all.

How come the angels had to be this troublesome out of the palace? It was most disappointing to see it being your unnie. To be fair, you liked her company a lot. She often spent her time with the younger angels and encouraged rule breaking from time to time. Hyelin and Jeonghwa paused to view the sight of Heeyeon laughing her heart out. She stood up from a table while the rest of the men around her were either laughing or growling. She patted a man's back and her words alone made you realize she won at a game. Heeyeon is a gorgeous woman but spending five minutes alone with her was enough to see that she was not raised to be a proper lady.

Ahn Heeyeon is the third oldest of the angels. Her manners may not be one of a lady's, but it was hard to complain about that when her family is heavily into the military. Her father is a general and her brothers are following in his footsteps. She's an amazing fighter because of that. She has proper training and knows how to make battle plans and tactics. If the Crown Prince ever needs assistance, that is where Heeyeon can come into the picture. She's a lot smarter than people often give her credit for. Mainly because she pulls stunts like this often.

"Maybe next time!" Heeyeon snorted, clapping her hands as she walked away from them. She ignored the glares she was receiving from the large men. That's when she saw the three of you staring at her with pursed lips. "Oh! Do we have to return?" She rushed over, resting her hand on her belt.

"I think it would be best—" You started only to get interrupted.

"Thief!" A woman cried out. She fell over, her basket of rice bags falling over. She whimpered as she picked them up while a man dressed in black ran off a bag of rice. The four of you looked at each other before giving one another a nod.

That thief isn't going anywhere! The four of you began running towards the thief who clearly grew panicked. He tugged people down in hopes of preventing people from following him. There was a thing called 'jumping' that he seemed to forget. He was out breath, letting you know he won't last for much longer. You pulled off your sword from your belt but kept it in its scabbard. The others did the same as the thief knocked down a stand of jewelry. It spilled onto the street only causing a mess. The four of you were catching up when two angels appeared in front of the thief. They held up their swords in their scabbards, blocking the thief's path. Soon the rest of you circled around the man who was trembling in his place.

"All this for rice?" Hyojin scoffed. She let out an annoyed sigh at the man who dropped onto the ground. "Isn't it easier to beg?"

Ahn Hyojin is the second oldest of the guardian angels. She's someone you admire a lot. You always ask for her tips when it comes to fighting. Because of this, you would say you were her favorite. Hyojin might have a tough exterior and she can be really cold when need be, she is also very kind. Certainly a lot more feminine than Heeyeon. Hyojin is almost seen as a second in command for her age, but she is more relaxed compared to the oldest. Hyojin doesn't try to act like another leader. She only acts as an older sister. That's another reason why you respect her so much.

She is given the dirty work to deal with. The Queen typically let Hyojin handle what occurs at the royal investigation bureau. Hyojin has seen people tortured until they faint. She has seen them balancing between life and death. Compared to all the other angels, Hyojin as seen more death. She has had the most blood on her hands too. If the Crown Prince ever requests someone to be killed, Hyojin is the executioner. Occasionally Hyojin was used by the Queen herself. At least Hyojin still gets some requests to fulfill her duty.

"I-I paid for this!" He held onto the bag tightly.

"Don't lie." Solji stepped forward. The rest of you stayed still in your place, holding up your swords while Solji lowered hers. The man scooted away from her, his breath quickening. "Your actions prove your guilt."

"Y-Yah! Why do you women have weapons in the first place?" The thief shouted in attempts to get control over the situation. Such a sad attempt. Solji unsheathed her sword, swiftly pointing the blade at his nose. He swallowed hard as he stared up at her.

Heo Solji is the eldest of the guardian angels. That naturally made her the leader of the group. She was fated to be in charge and she always took this responsibility seriously. Even when she was a child, she was mature as a young lady. She had to mature faster anyway to lead the angels. She almost felt like a mother figure to you in some aspects. All the angels respected her and Solji never abused that. She can be strict, but never corrupt. There was no one more perfect to be the leader.

Seeing as she is an intelligent woman, Solji learned the trade of her family. Her father is the royal physician so naturally Solji learned the same. If the Crown Prince ever needed medical help, Solji was the only trusted physician to take care of him. Her knowledge is the most helpful and deadliest in the nation seeing as she learned from the best. She knew how to perform surgeries while knowing which pressure points could cause someone to become brain dead or simply kill them in one pinch. Solji is only ever yearly requested by the Crown Prince. That's more than the rest of you.

Solji lightly pressed the sword against the thief's nose enough to scare the lights out of him. He was already shaking like a dog. It didn't take much to make the man faint out of pure fright. Solji put away her sword as the rest of you placed it back on your belts. Her and Hyojin picked up the thief, walking over to a small crowd of guards. They were shocked but took the thief anyway to arrest him. Solji dusted off her hands while Hyojin chuckled to herself. The six of you were together, but there was one person still missing. And just as you thought of her, she appeared on her horse and came to a sudden halt. The horse neighed as she stared down at all of you.

"Queen dowager requests the presence of all guardian angels in her chamber," Hwayoung states. She held tight to her horse as she got the nod from Solji.

Chang Hwayoung is someone special to you. She is born the same year as you which was important for multiple reasons. Not only were the two of you destined to protect the Crown Prince together, but you both were born the same year as the Crown Prince himself. It was a blessing in the Queen's eyes. She declared Hwayoung and you as shadow guards for the Crown Prince. The two of you were to always be around the Crown Prince out of all the angels. Like shadows, the two of you would always be near him. Whether up close or at a distance. He usually requested to be left at a distance, but sometimes let you two walk five feet behind him if he was in a good mood.

Out of all the angels, Hwayoung is your closest friend. The two of you were almost the same person it felt like. The Queen would even refer to the two of you as twins when the both of you were younger. You two are both strict and serious when it comes to protecting the Crown Prince. There is no room for horse play. Everything the two of you do is for him. Hwayoung understands what it means to be the Crown Prince's angel the same way you do. For that reason, she holds importance to you and you know it is a mutual sense. Hwayoung is stiff to everyone else while you are the only person she ever reveals her dreams and wishes to. You're grateful to be trusted.

"Get your horses. It was an urgent demand," Hwayoung said before whipping the reins on her horse. She turned around, riding in the direction of the royal palace. The six of you ran towards the exit of the market to untie your horses. Each of them jumped on, riding off in a hurry. You wondered what the matter was. She requested all of you to leave now come back so soon? Sitting on your horse, you soon whipped the reins down to catch up with the rest of the angels. You kept a firm grip on the reins, staying in a pack with your fellow angels all the way to the palace.

The palace guards had the gates opened for all of you. They stayed at the sides of the entrance with their heads bowing down as all of you entered. The paces of the horse began to slow down as Hwayoung led the way to the Queen's wing. Solji ordered everyone to walk on foot, all of you tugging on the reins and keeping your horses in check. Carefully climbing off your horse, you joined the rest of the angels as they walked up the steps to the Queen's stay. The ladies of the court stood outside her room, nervous expressions on their face.

"What's going on?" Solji questioned. None of you liked the faces that the women carried. They all kept their heads down except for the chief lady of the court to the Queen. She was the closest one to her and she had tears in her eyes. This didn't feel right.

"I-I'll announce you." She cleared her throat. No one's questions were being answered. Glancing at Hyelin, you watched her purse her lips. Jeonghwa gave you a quick look of worry before two ladies grabbed the door handles. "Your royal Highness, the Crown Prince's guardian angels have arrived!"

No response as the doors opened wide. The seven of you wasted no time entering the room. You were curious to what happened with the Queen. The atmosphere was so gloomy that you were already fearing the worst. Solji stood in front of you all, stopping ten feet away from the Queen's bed. The rest of you kept a straight posture before bowing down in unison towards her Majesty. A cough was heard, making your heart drop. All of you grew tense at the harshness of the cough. Her illness hasn't been improving in the slightest. The royal physician has tried his hardest and according to Solji, the Queen's immune system could no longer fight back. Her days were numbered.

"Raise...your heads," She spoke.

"Queen Dowager, we are here at your request." Solji kept her hands at her sides. The rest of you remained standing like exact copies, completely silent.

"Come closer. I cannot raise my voice any higher..." She coughed into a cloth, breathing heavily. Solji nodded as the seven of you came towards the Queen's bed. She laid weak in her bed, frail and looking white as a ghost. The sight had your stomach doing leaps inside of you. The rest of the angels must have felt the same. It hurt each and every one of you to see her Majesty in such a state. "I don't have much time."

"Did you speak with the Crown Prince?" Solji asked. The Queen stayed silent, answering that question right away. It wasn't a surprise that he didn't come to the meeting. Though you had to admit that you were disappointed in his Majesty. He knows his mother isn't getting any better yet he avoids his responsibilities?

"He will become the King whether he likes it...or not." The Queen cleared her throat. She clutched tightly to her handkerchief, her eyes staring at all of you. "He will lead this nation like I raised him. And he must...continue the pure bloodline."

"The Crown Prince is getting married?" Solji's eyes widened. The angels had the same reaction since no one has mentioned such a thing. Hwayoung and you even raised brows at each other. Out of all the angels, you two should have known about this.

"It is my dying wish. My last command—" The Queen raised the cloth to her mouth as she coughed. She continued to look more and more tired. "—H-Have him marry Eunchae. My precious niece who carries pure blood. Our dynasty will c-continue—"

"Your Majesty!" Hyojin rushed to the Queen who suddenly coughed out a small reddish clump. Blood was staining the Queen's lips, her entire mouth having a sickening metallic taste. She was ready to collapse, but Hyojin kept her sitting upwards.

"Let me rest. I want Namjoon to marry her and create a new heir for our nation. This is all I ask of him now and nothing more..." The Queen gritted her teeth as Hyojin carefully laid her down. The seven of you surrounded the bed, tears stinging all of your eyes.

"My Queen, you have done an excellent job running our nation and raising our Crown Prince." Solji took in a deep breath.

The Queen didn't say anything as the stared up at the roof of her room. Silence filled the air to announce the loss of a jewel. Jeonghwa was the first to cry out, dropping to her knees. It was too shocking to accept right away. Heeyeon called to the Queen and no response was given. Solji reached for the Queen's wrist to check her pulse. Your heart clenched until Solji shook her head at all of you. Covering your mouth with your hands, you gasped in horror. Hyelin was the second to cry and you were third the minute Solji gently closed the Queen's eyes. Hyojin cleared her throat, holding in her emotions as she walked over to the large doors. She opened them up as she stared at all the former Queen's ladies of the court who stared with large eyes.

"Raise the flags of mourning. The Queen has left this world!" Hyojin announced as a chorus of gasps and cries greeted your ears. Everyone was sobbing at the news, but there wasn't much time to cry for the angels. Solji raised her head as stared at all of you with tears still dripping down her cheeks.

"We have been given an order. The last command her Highness requested was to bring the Crown Prince to Lady Eunchae and produce a new heir. We will all fulfill our task so prepare for a month long travel after the funeral and coronation." Solji wiped her face. "Understood?"

"Understood!"

**(A/n: The members of EXID are in this story and we have a fictional character named Hwayoung! You can imagine her as Shin Se-Kyung!)**


	3. The New King

Ch.2

Sorrow drowned the palace the moment the Queen drew her last breath. It engulfed all the servants who worked for her and the former King. The nation had officially lost its rulers, leaving behind a Crown Prince who was less than willing to go along with fate. He didn't seem to believe in Heaven's plan in the slightest. Would the death of his mother bring him into reality? Your mind still felt as if you were walking through fog. The Queen passed away before your eyes. Out of all the gruesome deaths you've witnessed, you couldn't understand why hers shook you to your core.

She looked so peaceful.

Thinking about it only made your heart ache. Solji and Hyojin were handling the funeral responsibilities already. They were setting up preparations while Heeyeon went on her horse to bring the news down to the people. They needed to hear about their Queen. As the funeral procession was being set up, Hyelin and Jeonghwa were taking care of the coronation. After the Queen is buried to rest, the Crown Prince will be crowned King of Goguryeo. It is an urgent matter that will occur faster than it has before. There is no time for the Crown Prince to refuse the honor. Not anymore.

Goguryeo has allowed its guard to be down. While this great nation turned its back, Silla and Baekje formed an alliance. It was something Heeyeon had been speculating for some time. It wasn't taken seriously until both nations struck against all of you. They managed to steal some southern land away from Goguryeo and there wasn't much the Queen could do. Sick in her bed, she barely blinked an eye at the loss. Now things are going to be different. Hwayoung and you were ordered to bring the news to the Crown Prince himself. He must be staying in his own wing keeping to himself. He barely leaves his room to begin with.

"Are you okay?" Hwayoung frowned at you. Her eyes were red yet no tears bothered to roll down her cheeks. She was holding back since there was no time to cry. Tears will be for the funeral procession, but the two of you have a job to perform first.

"I'm...in shock." You closed your eyes tightly. You knew that you needed to swallow some emotions at the moment. The Crown Prince needed to be alerted and here you were. Hwayoung placed her hand on your shoulder, stopping you from walking any further.

"I'll announce the news to his Royal Highness. You may stay outside the room if it is too much," Hwayoung offered. She stared at you with gentle eyes. They were softer than when she was around the others.

"I can't be a burden." You shook your head. "I must fulfill my duty."

"Your duty is to protect the Crown Prince. I can handle the announcement because you keep crying." Hwayoung pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve. You took it in an instant, covering your face with it in embarrassment. "Keep it if you want, (F/n)."

"Aish, don't give me your belongings so easily all the time." You gave her a pout. She was only a month older than you yet she always took care of you. Offering you food even if that meant she ate less or taking scolding's when it was both of your faults.

Hwayoung softly shook her head, walking up the steps to the Crown Prince's front doors. You stayed behind her as she notified an eunuch that only she would be entering. You would remain outside due to your tears. A majority of them were wiped away. All that was left was a heavy heart. Pressure pressed itself against your chest, making it harder to act like nothing was wrong. Folding the handkerchief in your hands, you waited until you heard a small crash inside the room. You took a step towards the doors in worry. What is going on in there?

You didn't get the chance to enter. The doors were opened to reveal Hwayoung walking out calmly. She had no readable expression on her face as she stepped out. Behind her was the Crown Prince, standing tall with his back facing you. A table was knocked down with a porcelain teapot shattered into pieces. Servants were already rushing to clean up the mess the Crown Prince created. That was the only glimpse you saw before the door was closed. Your view returned to Hwayoung who let out a sigh. She already knew what you were thinking with the worried look on your face.

"He wasn't happy to hear the news," She said as your brows knitted closer together.

"Of course not! But throwing a table?" You crossed your arms. "The Crown Prince's temper is worrying me."

"We all have our own ways of grieving," Hwayoung said as the two of you began to take steps down the stairs. The two of you were going to pack for the journey to Lady Eunchae, but that was instantly put to a halt.

Hwayoung froze at the top of the stairs to see the Crown Prince's royal advisor climbing up the steps. He was a young man, a few years older than his Majesty. His name is Lee Seungwon and he came from a noble family. He was the only close friend the Crown Prince had. A kind and intelligent young man who you had no problems with. Hwayoung though, her eyes were already wide as her own cheeks became pink at the sight of him. You almost wanted to sigh with how obvious she is. She may be stoic and strict with everyone else, but you and Seungwon were the only exceptions. Seungwon smiled at Hwayoung as you gave her the handkerchief back. You didn't want to interrupt their precious moment.

"I've heard the tragic news." Seungwon stopped in front of Hwayoung. "How is the Crown Prince?"

"He...yelled and threw a table." Hwayoung's voice was soft. You held in a giggle, doing your best to give them space. The tension was loud and clear to you. The other angels were vaguely aware of the attraction Hwayoung held towards the royal advisor. Her feelings could be seen from a mile away. The only thing the other angels weren't aware of was that Hwayoung and Seungwon were already lovers. Only you knew that secret as Hwayoung's best friend.

"That man." Seungwon shook his head with a light chuckle. He slowly raised his eyes to meet Hwayoung's, their smiles growing. "I'll go take care of him."

"Take care of yourself too." Hwayoung crumbled up the handkerchief in her hands. You were honestly surprised the rest of the royal court hadn't caught on to them.

"I'll head over to our quarters." You excused yourself, bowing your head at Seungwon. He nodded as you rushed down the steps. Seeing those two interact always made your heart feel so warm. You're glad someone can make your friend so happy.

The only thing that does bring down your mood is the fact that they're not even allowed to marry. Love or not, it's not allowed. You knew Seungwon's family wanted him to marry another girl for her family's land. Thankfully, Seungwon used the Crown Prince as an excuse. He lied and claimed that the Crown Prince thought marriage would be a distraction. The Crown Prince played along which kept Hwayoung happy. You remember seeing her cry quietly while the other angels slept. She was so worried that their relationship would be put to an end.

That wasn't the only trouble. Hwayoung's parents are always looking for possible suitors for Hwayoung. It was worrisome, but thankfully angels weren't allowed to wed until they reached twenty-five. By that age, all of you were old maids. Then your eldest daughters would grow to take your own place. That was how the system worked. Since Hwayoung still had time before then, she always looked love struck staring at Seungwon. It's been the same look she's been giving him since she met him when she was twelve years old. You hope to find something like that too one day.

Heading towards the angel quarters, you entered the small and cozy home. It was a room where the seven guardian angels stayed to sleep. All your belongings were under your bed in a basket. There weren't many things that you owned. You were a simple person. Everything in your life was dedicated to protecting the Crown Prince. Then Hwayoung had her own basket under your bed too since she slept in the bunk on top of yours. She never let you look in it and you had a strong feeling it was because she didn't want you reading her love letters that she always exchanged with Seungwon. Those two were so in love that you hope it can work out in the end. The former Queen may have not wanted their specific bloodlines to cross, but maybe the Crown Prince will have a different opinion.

You'll put it in fate's hands. Fate can always be trusted.

It wasn't long before the funeral procession began. You and the other angels were wearing black and white hanboks. This was the one time you weren't thrilled to be in a dress. It was quiet this morning when all the girls were putting on their high waisted full skirts. No one spoke a word to each other. Solji tied the ribbons on your hanbok and patted your back. That was as much interaction you got from her. Immediately, the seven of you were outside of the Crown Prince's palace waiting for him. He came out with his advisor, dressed in his sangbok. He wore his mourning garment with no expression on his face. He only acknowledged Solji as all of you walked to the start of the funeral procession. Though it was a time for morning, all angels had weapons under their skirts, in their coats, and hidden in their sleeves in case. You highly doubt anyone will want to interrupt such a ceremony. They won't live for a second longer if they make an attempt.

Hwayoung and you stood closest to the Crown Prince. You stood to the right of him with your head down. This was the last moment you were allowed to mourn for the Queen before it is time to fulfill her last command. The Crown Prince kept his head up, his eyes red yet only one tear slipped the entire procession. He didn't speak and you wondered how he must have felt. Normally, the sangbok is worn for years after the close family death but there would be none of that this time around. He will soon be dressed in the finest garments as he's announced Goguryeo's new King. You felt bad for him, but there was nothing that could be done. This was how fate wanted it.

"I present to you the new King! His Majesty, Kim Namjoon!"

Somehow it all occurred in a flash. One minute the nation was crying a river for the loss of the Queen. The entire atmosphere in the capital was dark until it was time for the Crown Prince's coronation. There was no more time for mourning anymore. Flags of mourning were packed away and replaced with ones of celebration. They were bright with the royal family's emblem embroidered into the thin fabric. They waved in the wind as the sun shined down on the new King. He stood at the top of the stairs while the rest of the royal court were bowing down. The angels and you were doing the same until the King requested all of you to stop.

"All of you are free to celebrate. Continue without me." The King sighed, ready to turn his back on the royal court. That's when Seungwon rushed to stop the King with a worried gaze.

"Your Majesty, how can we celebrate without you? You're the one we're honoring today!" Seungwon's eyes were desperate. They were doing their best to explain the obvious to the new King. Of course, the attempt came with no fruit.

"I want to be left alone in my new stay as King." He shook his head, walking off to the wing that used to belong to his father. Now it was the room he would be sleeping in. It was a change that a lot of you would have to grow accustom to.

The scholars of the royal court lifted themselves up. Right away they were asking questions out of confusion. There was no feast, no music, or anything? The King denied to participate in anything even though many people in the capital were more than willing to provide the services for free. It was a special occasion after all. The event was cut short as all the scholars began to mix. Some were ministers, secretaries, officers, and councilors. They were all of high status yet they were starting to speculate about the young King. Why did he leave? Was he capable of leading the nation? You had to take out your sword the second you heard an eunuch speak such words.

"You! Who gave you the right to speak such nonsense?" You barked in rage. The rest of the angels gripped at their swords, just as furious. Does this castrated fool not think before he speaks?

"It was just a question!" The eunuch chuckled deeply. He eyed all the angels, amused to see the immediate response it got him. "Believe me, I'm not saying anything about removing his crown."

"I can slay you for treason!" Hwayoung narrowed her eyes on him. The man only shook his head with a simple hum.

"You women should not think so emotionally." The eunuch turned around as he walked towards the exit of the palace. He didn't seemed to be threatened at all. Did he believe his place in the palace was stable? You weren't fond of his tone in the slightest. That old man should know better otherwise you'll skin him.

"He is our King now! Anyone questioning his authority might deal with a visit from me!" Hyojin shouted. The scholars swallowed, knowing full well that Hyojin was not always clement with those sent to the royal investigation bureau. She could have their nails plucked off one by one or press hot iron against their skin to brand them as the criminals they are. They remained silent under her icy glare.

"W-What shall we do with the few festivities we set up?" A lady of the court frowned.

"We can still celebrate today," Solji stated with a smile before facing you and Hwayoung. "The two of you though. Check on his Majesty."

"But didn't he want to spend time alone?" Hyelin asked. Heeyeon sighed since all of you knew that the King couldn't have privacy. At least one of you needed to be with him at all times. Hwayoung and you didn't bother giving Hyelin a response. Bowing and acknowledging Solji's orders, the two of you ran to the King's wing.

The two of you haven't been to the King's wings in years. The former King passed away many years ago that there was no need to come there. It was only ever cleaned by servants once a week. Now it was finally being occupied by a new King. Hopefully soon the Queen's wing will be taken by Lady Eunchae and you hope another Crown Prince comes soon. If anything happens to the new King which you hope doesn't, Lady Eunchae's father is next in line. He's the former Queen's brother. Unfortunately the former Queen was only able to have one child. That child alone almost cost her life. There were no pure blooded sisters or anyone else able to marry the King. The dynasty was struggling to keep itself pure since many were beginning to produce half bloods.

May your King prosper as he now leads this great nation. You wish that he has success with Lady Eunchae and that their children are as graceful as them. Hwayoung and you went up the large steps to the King's room. Right when you both arrived, you paused in confusion. There were no servants or even palace women near the door. Hwayoung was just as shocked by the sight. Was the King all alone? The two of you gripped your swords instantly, standing in front of the door with tense shoulders. Normally someone would be standing outside to announce people and open the doors.

"Your Grace, your special shadows are here! Chang Hwayoung and Yeon (F/n)!" Hwayoung projected her voice loudly. The two of you had straightened posture as you waited for his approval to enter.

"Not right—Seungwon!" The King's voice was muffled behind the door. Just as your brows furrowed, the door was opened by Seungwon. It was clear the royal advisor had completely ignored the King's wishes. Only Seungwon could get away with committing such an act. You wanted to laugh to see him already welcoming the both of you inside. Even as he bowed his head, his eyes were glancing up at Hwayoung.

"Your Highness, we are here by orders of Angel Solji." You kept your head down as you entered the room. Pausing at the center of the room, you bowed and made sure not to look him in the eyes.

"Angel Solji..." The King sighed in frustration. Solji was the only angel the King talked to the most compared to the rest of you. She was the most trusted by his mother after all and his physician. He hated having you and Hwayoung by his side. You're used to watching him as you sit on rooftops, walking ten feet away, or hiding in obscure places for his safety. "You may raise your head, Angel (F/n)."

Standing up from your spot, your movements were careful as you adjusted yourself to finally face the King. You stood straight as your eyes slowly traveled up. From his long legs to his torso and to his face lastly. He had completely removed all the ceremonial garments and pieces from the coronation. He was wearing the clothes he always did when he was Crown Prince. Shouldn't he be wearing clothes for a King? Your eyes connected with his eventually. His eyes were sharp with immense knowledge hidden behind them. There was no visible expression on his face. The King has grown up to be quite the handsome man. It was sometimes hard to believe you were the same age as him.

"How are you, my King?" You smiled. "Would you like us to stay by the door or play a game? Maybe tea or food? You left before the festivities could begin." Your tone was incredibly cheerful with a hint of concern. It sort of slipped. Your manners towards the King weren't as they should be, but you couldn't help yourself. It was so exciting to finally be conversing with the King again. You're so proud of him yet you're also aware he must be emotionally exhausted.

"Yes, I left on purpose. I wanted to be left _alone_ ," He spoke as his eyes darted in Seungwon's direction. The advisor remained near the entrance of the door. He was quietly speaking with Hwayoung, the two clearly in their own world. The King sighed, knowing his passive aggressive behavior would not be detected any time soon. You looked back at them with a gentle smile. The King and you were the only ones aware of their relationship. Not that the two of you ever brought up the topic of your best friends. Facing the King again, you watched him sit down at his golden throne. There were cushions and multiple drapes surrounding him. "As you can see, I'm doing well and want to be alone. This includes Seungwon."

"Hm?" Seungwon turned his head to face the King. His Highness tugged on a string, a thin cloth falling from the ceiling to create a wall between him and the rest of you. It was still possible to see his Majesty behind it, but you understood. You bowed your head before turning around to Seungwon and Hwayoung. "Wait, are you sure?"

"Go with the angels," The King demanded.

"King Namjoon—" Seungwon started until the King stomped his foot on the wooden board. It was time to leave. Seungwon frowned but followed through with the request. The three of you stepped out and quietly shut the large door.

Your mind stayed stuck on the King. He continues to isolate himself and even excused Seungwon. He must be feeling strange to stay in his late father's old room. Then his own mother passed away only a few days ago and now he was crowned King of Goguryeo. And you're not even sure if he's aware of the fact that he'll be traveling for a month to visit Lady Eunchae to ask for her hand in marriage. That was his mother's last wish. Well, part of it. He will need to get a new heir from Lady Eunchae. You sighed as you looked over to Seungwon and Hwayoung again.

Those two were itching to hold hands. You glanced back and forth between them as they pretended to not have any sort of tension. They're so obvious! Crossing your arms, you watched as Seungwon whistled a familiar tune. He always whistled it halfway through and let Hwayoung be the one to finish whistling the song. It was their way of secretly telling each other 'I love you'. Hwayoung never told you, but you figured out. These two have practically been lovesick for eight years. You shook your head lightly at them as you unfolded your arms.

"The two of you can go. I'll stay by the door to watch our King," You stated. You were intruding on their romantic moment. They almost forgot you were there with them to begin with! Seungwon and Hwayoung faced you in surprise before a smile appeared on their faces.

"Really?" Hwayoung looked grateful.

"Take her, Young Master. She's desperate." You motioned for them to leave. Their sweetness with each other was beginning to make you feel like an old maid. Hwayoung gave you a playful glare as Seungwon took her hand.

"I'll take care of her." Seungwon grinned. The two giggled as they rushed down the long steps, probably to hide wherever at the old pond.

Taking in a breath, you placed your hand over your sword. Many servants and nobles were nowhere near the King's wing. They were all at the courtyard celebrating his coronation. Still, you kept your guard up as you stood outside his door. This was the only entrance inside unless they broke in through the window but those were tiny. The longer you stayed outside, the more you realized how much you hated protecting the King this way. You should at least be able to stand in the corner of the room. He won't even notice you're there! All you want to do is perform your duty and nothing more.

This might get you yelled at, but it is done in his best interest. You turned to face the large doors again. Take in a deep breath and enter. Or should you announce yourself? No, you'll only get rejected. Biting your lip, you opened the doors anyway as quietly as you could. The King was no longer sitting in his throne but off to the little room at the side. He sat in his bed, staring at a painting of a mountain. You carefully shut the door behind you as he allowed his head to sink down. Was something wrong? You took one step closer when he raised his voice louder than you had ever heard him be.

"What did I say!?" The King's shouts made you freeze in your spot. He never faced you this time around. "Can you not follow orders?"

"My King..." Your voice wasn't as confident the second time around. "Please allow me to stand inside your room. I must protect you as your shadow—"

"Do so outside."

"Why?" You frowned. There was no explanation and it was beginning to get to you. The words the eunuch was spouting left you nervous. Did the King want to be King at all? You grabbed your sword, dropping it on the ground. "I am unarmed now."

"Pick up your weapon and go." He shook his head. He lifted his hand up to his face, rubbing his skin tiredly. Everything about his mannerisms read that he was exhausted.

To you, being an angel didn't mean simply protecting the King with a sword. You felt indebted to him since you got to live in such a luxurious palace. It was an honor to be by his side and protecting him was a way to repay him every day. Except you always felt like you could do more. Your footsteps were quiet as you walked over to the King. He may kill you for disobeying him like this and you wouldn't be upset with him. He just looks so lonely. As you stepped near the King's bed, you noticed that tears were dripping down his face. Something _is_ wrong. Bending down onto your knees, you sat near the King who refused to look anywhere near you. His teeth were gritted at the fact that you were seeing him like this.

"I am your shadow. Think of me as a part of you and for that I can never judge you," You said quietly. "Even when you feel alone, I am here. I will listen."

"But you don't listen." The King laughed at your words. He looked up at the ceiling as he thought about how ridiculous you were being. "I ordered you to leave many times and yet?"

"...I'm worried." You didn't know what else to say. All you had was your simple truth. "Forgive me, your Majesty. I want to speak honestly."

"Speak." The King finally looked down at you. His tears never stopped streaming down his face. You couldn't imagine the pain he was feeling.

"Have you eaten at all?" You bit your lip.

"I wouldn't even eat a pear." The King scoffed, his glare burning. "That's not what you wanted to ask. I thought you said you would speak honestly. What is it? Do you want land? Gold?"

"Do you even want to be King?" You questioned. He stared at you silently in disbelief. "For the years that I've known you, you have never showed any interest in the government. Now you have been crowned King and nothing has changed. Still, I believe that there is no one more perfect to be King than you, your Highness." You insisted as he only stared at you. Reaching into the sleeve of your coat, you went up to the King to wipe his face with your handkerchief. This time you remembered to carry your own. "You're incredibly intelligent and everyone in the capital knows of your gift. But what they don't know is how truly kind and caring you are as a person. I see it in the way you treat young master, Lee Seungwon."

"You shadows..." The King grabbed your wrist. He lowered your hand despite you wanting to help. "You may consider yourself a part of me, but you are _not_ me."

"I never—"

"You may go." He let go of you. He turned away from you to rest in his bed. You were silent as the King closed his eyes. The tears slowly returned even after you attempts to console him. Standing up on your feet, you bowed to him before walking over to your weapon. You attached the sword to your belt again as you went to the door. Placing your hand on the handle, you looked over your shoulder to stare at the King. He hadn't moved from his spot. Hopefully the King can recover soon before it is time to leave. Pushing the door open, you continued to stay outside and look over the King this way.


	4. Lonely Fate

Ch.3

The King never left his room the entire time you stood out his door. You expected him to possibly speak to you again through the door. Any sort of interaction from him would have eased your worries. Nothing came from him at all. You stayed outside his doors until you were shivering in your hanbok. It had become night and your clothes weren't warm. Instead of your usual heavy and warm armor, you were still dressed for his coronation. A part of you wondered if you would have to stay outside the entire night. Rubbing your arms, you felt relieved when you saw Seungwon at the bottom of the steps. He ordered a group of guards to stay outside of the King's room. It was their new post now.

Seungwon gave you a small nod, giving you permission to head back to the angel quarters. You bowed your head at the young master before running off. While you headed towards the angel quarters, Hwayoung appeared next to you. Already you knew you would be her cover if any of the angels got nosy. Soon the two of you entered the small hut at the same time, seeing the others either already in bed or getting ready. Sighing tiredly, you were ready to switch out into comfortable sleepwear and hide under your covers. This night was incredibly cold!

Later in the morning, you stirred softly as Solji was the first to wake up. She had her armor on while Jeonghwa and Heeyeon were getting ready for the day. They weren't bothering to be quiet since you knew you had to get up too. Turning on your side, you wiped your eyes as you yawned. The only two complaining were Hyojin and Hyelin. Those two shared a bunk bed and they were the ones hardest to wake up. Especially Hyojin. Solji was laughing as she kicked at the bed, disturbing the peaceful rest the girls were trying to get. You couldn't help but laugh yourself as Hyojin groaned.

"I'm up! Are you blind?" Hyojin covered her eyes with her hands. "Stop kicking!"

"You'll only fall asleep again if I stop!" Solji sighed before looking over at Jeonghwa. "Make sure they get up."

"Yes, Unnie!" Jeonghwa jumped onto her feet with a less than innocent smile. It's a good thing Hwayoung and you were already waking up on your own. The last thing you need is Jeonghwa torturing you to wake up. Heeyeon held in her giggles as Jeonghwa began to attack Hyojin. There was a lot of screaming that you blocked out. You had to get ready for the day ahead of you.

While Jeonghwa was doing her best to pull Hyojin off of her bed, you brushed out your hair. Hwayoung was already one step ahead of you as she placed a pretty pin inside her hair. It was a beautiful pink jeweled flower that caught your attention right away. It was her family emblem, but you've never seen her wear that before. With the way she was smiling, you had an idea on where she got it from. You had to admit that Seungwon had taste. A gorgeous gift and no one would question it if the pin was of her family emblem. Yours was of a little bird. A dove. All the angels had a specific one just like the royal family did as well.

With your hair brushed and up, you quickly went to switch out of your nightwear into your armor. It wasn't the most flattering outfit for a lady. When you first put on armor, your father was frustrated at the sight. Only your mother didn't blink an eye at it. She did the same for the former King seeing as she was a former angel too. She was relieved of her duties the moment the former King passed away, but you remembered how the past angels all cried. A part of them died. Their meaning in life had left the world. You rarely see your family anymore, but the rest of the angels shared a similar experience. All of your mothers looked lost. Unfortunately, Hyojin's mother was the only angel who took her own life as his only shadow. It was extreme when you were younger, but you've slowly grown to understand it yourself.

Hwayoung was still changing into her armor when you stepped outside of the humble home. There was a clean little pond right next to the home. Crouching down near it, you stared at your reflection for a bit. From the minute you were born, you were destined to protect the Crown Prince. It has been engraved into your mind that you can't think about doing anything else. You even knew yourself that being the King's shadow meant a lot to you. If he truly got upset by your actions yesterday and wanted to order your death for disobeying your orders, you would understand. This was how life worked and no one questioned it. Cupping your hands in the pond, you splashed your face and shivered.

"You'll get sick doing that." Hwayoung stepped out, tightening the belt around her waist. "The water is freezing and it's still cold out."

"I do it every day. I'm fine." You flicked your hands before wiping them on the cloth of your uniform.

"You better be at your best health when we travel to Lady Eunchae." Hwayoung scoffed. You nodded your head at her words. There she goes with her little lectures.

Smiling fondly at her, you pretended to listen to her as the two of you walked over to the training yard. Now you appreciated Hwayoung as your closest friend a lot. That didn't stop you from ignoring her warnings. They were simple rules to follow. It was common sense so you weren't missing anything. At some point, Hwayoung figured out you weren't listening to her. You had to admit it was rude of you, but she didn't have to shove you. The second you stumbled to the side so suddenly, you let out a scoff. Oh? You faced your friend who gave you a small smirk.

The two of you already stood in the training yard at the side of the palace. It was a restricted area that only a few people were allowed to enter. Anyone unauthorized would be killed instantly without question. None of the palace guards were here so Hwayoung and you had it to yourselves. She plucked the sword off her belt, tossing it to the side. Your heart was racing with adrenaline as you removed your own sword. There were wooden staffs the two of you could use to practice. Safer, but still hurt a lot if you weren't wearing the proper attire for training.

"I pushed you. Will you do anything about it?" Hwayoung pointed her staff at you with a smile.

"It seems I will be taking my revenge..." You went light on your toes as you pointed your own staff toward her. "Now!"

You pretended to jump high only to crouch down low in an attempt to strike Hwayoung's ankles. The two of you were extremely familiar with one another's fighting style. That's why you always tried to switch it up a little to throw her off. It could either work in your favor or lead to your loss quicker. Hwayoung almost tripped when trying to avoid your attack. It appeared as if the heavens were smiling down on you today. All your movements were large and aggressive. They demanded a lot of energy and it didn't help that Hwayoung was dodging ever single hit without fighting back. Do something! You were close to cornering her when you realized something. She was making you tired on purpose.

Hwayoung struck the moment she saw the clarity appear on your face. Her foot pushed your chest back as she came in strong with her sharp and quick strokes. You were almost out of a breath dodging all of her attacks. She was too close for you to do anything with your staff. Think! Narrowing your eyes on her, you turned to get closer to her body. Quick! Grabbing her wrist, you twisted it enough to make her drop her weapon. She hissed as you jumped away to create space between the two of you. Now you were ready to finish her off! Hwayoung grabbed the staff with her opposite hand as you charged at her like a stampede of horses.

"This is where they train?" The deep voice asked. He didn't expect to come here today but decided on a whim to join his chief advisor around the palace for once. His eyes watched his shadows fighting with one another. He was a trained fighter himself yet he was nowhere near as skilled as a palace guard. He didn't enjoy picking up a sword himself.

"It feels like they come here to play." Seungwon chuckled lightly. His own eyes stayed glued to his lover, silently rooting for her. "Who do you think will win, your Highness?"

"Who?" The King pursed his lips as he focused on the battle.

Hwayoung was using her nondominant arm to fight now and barely had a proper grip on the staff. She did it hurriedly with you coming at her fiercely. You were ready to strike as you came to her with all your power. Normally you never poured this much energy so quick into a battle, but you so badly wanted to beat her. You released down your staff as Hwayoung held hers up and ducked. The ending of the fight happened so fast. Bringing down your staff against hers caused her wooden staff to fly out of her hands. Then with her down on the ground, she used the same simple attack you used on her from the start. She kicked her leg against yours, swooping underneath you to make you fall. D*mn! You fell on the stone as she walked up to you, pointing her staff that she retrieved down to you.

"I win." She smiled proudly.

"I guess I'll cross this new tactic off my list." You groaned, sitting up. Note to self, don't start off low when battling Hwayoung. She held her hand out towards you to help you stand up. The moment you were on your feet, the two of you heard loud clapping. Who's watching? Your heads were quick to turn in the direction of the sound. The both of you stiffened up and reach at your belt, realizing there was no sword there. Not that it was needed.

Seungwon and the King were watching from a high balcony. How long were they watching for? You were speechless to see the King actually outside of his room. Hwayoung and you bowed right away at his presence. Even from all the way down here, you could hear his soft sigh. The King allowed the two of you to raise your heads. While you stared up at them, Hwayoung rushed to get the real swords. She held hers close as you grabbed yours from her. Seungwon was staring lovingly at Hwayoung while the King had a neutral expression on his face.

"I was rooting for you, my love." Seungwon smiled.

"It must have been why I won," She said bashfully. You gently shook your head at them. Smiling at Hwayoung, you glanced back up at the young men.

"I thought Angel (F/n) would have won...but she was a bit too reckless," The King said. Your eyes widened at his comment. He believed in you and you ruined it? D*mn it! You wanted to whine but remained silent. He didn't say 'you' while he was talking. The way he said it made it clear he was only speaking to Seungwon. He wasn't including Hwayoung or you into the conversation.

The pout on your face was small since now you had to deal with double the disappoint. Tomorrow you'll have to win. You slowly found yourself staring at the King again with your pout. The King stared down at you, raising a brow at your odd expression. You almost swore as you fixed the look on your face to not be so immature. Blood rushed to your cheeks to be caught by your own King. Hwayoung was speaking, but you were too embarrassed to pay attention. Seungwon responded, giving the King a quick look before nodding down at the two of you. Seungwon and the King started walking away, bringing you back to reality as Hwayoung grabbed your wrist.

"What's happening?" You asked as Hwayoung pulled you out of the training yard. She didn't answer your question as she hurried. It felt like she was trying to catch up with somebody.

Your brows were knitted closely together to see she was bringing you over to the old pond. It was tightly placed between the Crown Prince wing and the training yard. For some reason it was Hwayoung's favorite place in the entire palace. Out of all places, she adored the dirty pond with the weird looking fishes. A majority of the plants were dead and dried out, but there was a nice bridge across it. The bridge could certainly be rebuilt though. She pulled you over to the bridge by the time you saw Seungwon rushing to reach the same place. Behind him was the King who was taking his time walking over here. Now that you could face him properly, you realized he was wearing the right clothes for a King this time around.

"Let's take a stroll together." Seungwon held his arm out. Hwayoung's cheeks were pink as she wrapped her own arm around his. The two started to walk over the bridge together, making you feel like you were intruding on something again. He complimented her hairpin as if he wasn't the one who gave it to her! You huffed, wondering if you should just leave them in their own little world.

"...so you know?" The King spoke. His voice almost caused you to jump in surprise. He was talking to you? Blinking at him in disbelief, you had to take a second to process what was going on. You couldn't tell if he was still upset about yesterday or not. You cleared your throat as you glanced back at the two lovers.

"I do know. I thought you were aware of that." You looked up at him. The King sighed, watching his friend and angel stay close to one another. "We were both there when they first met. And for every time they wanted to be alone together."

"That's right...I almost forgot." The King slowly returned his gaze to you. It was a memory that you remembered as if it were yesterday. Hwayoung first met Seungwon a few days after the former Queen promised to take care of the nation after the death of the former King. He was Crown Prince back then, twelve years old and too young to take the throne. Hwayoung and you were the same age as the Crown Prince while Seungwon was fourteen.

*~*

_The Crown Prince had tears running down his face. He shouted at air, pleading for his father to come back. Unfortunately coming back from the dead wasn't as simple as making a wish._ _Hwayoung_ _and you looked at each other, not knowing what to say. The entire nation was mourning the death of the king. The flags were raised high all around the palace. It was a constant reminder for the Crown Prince. You had to admit that you were sad too and so was_ _Hwayoung_ _. Then seeing the Crown Prince crying like this hurt too. He looked lonely. You took a step forward, wanting to comfort him only to be pulled back._

_Hwayoung_ _forced you to stay by her side and shook her head. Angels were not to act like friends with the Crown Prince. That was a lesson the two of you had to learn the hard way. It wasn't easy being the same age as the Crown Prince and acting like stone in front of him._ _Hwayoung_ _did better at being an angel when the you were younger. She remained stoic while you began to cry out of pure frustration. Why aren't you allowed to comfort the Crown Prince? That should be allowed. Soon the Crown Prince turned around with a red face._

_"W-Why are you crying?" He asked._

_"I-I'm sorry, Crown Prince!" You bowed your head down._ _Hwayoung_ _nudged your shoulder, silently telling you to pull yourself together._

_"No! Stop that!" He stomped his foot. "I told you to call me by my name._ _Namjoon_ _! I am_ _Namjoon_ _!"_

_"But w-we're not allowed to..." You sniffled. All you were was a twelve years old with a small knife attached to your belt._ _Hwayoung_ _and you were in training to become proper angels for his Grace. So young but learning how to kill for this boy who looked like he had no one by his side._ _Hwayoung_ _sighed until the two of you noticed someone had crossed the bridge. Who was it?_ _Hwayoung_ _pulled out her little knife out in fear until she noticed the Crown Prince wasn't alarmed by the stranger's presence. He looked slightly older than all of you._

_"Oh no. Tears again?" The boy sighed, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the Crown Prince's face. "Must I give you this for how much you use it compared to me?"_

_"Don't mock me,_ _Seungwon_ _-a!" The Crown Prince ripped the cloth away from the older boy._ _Seungwon_ _? You blinked curiously while_ _Hwayoung_ _dropped her knife. Eyes shifted to her and you were confused by why her face looked so pink. Her eyes seemed stuck on the older boy until he looked straight back at her. That's when she finally looked down at her feet in embarrassment._

_"Sorry for the intrusion."_ _Seungwon_ _walked over, picking up the knife for the girl. He held it out towards her with a smile on his face. "I'm Lee_ _Seungwon_ _and I am learning to be a royal advisor for the Crown Prince."_

_"..."_

_"We're angels!_ _Hwayoung_ _-a and I are the Crown Prince's shadows!" You explained for the girl who couldn't speak. That's weird._ _Seungwon_ _didn't even look at you when you spoke though. His eyes stayed on your friend who kept her head down._

_"_ _Hwayoung_ _-a? What a pretty name."_ _Seungwon_ _chuckled before_ _Hwayoung_ _raised her head. That's when his own face turned red. The two finally made eye contact with each other, disturbing you and the Crown Prince._

_"_ _Seungwon_ _?_ _Seungwon_ _!" The Crown Prince called out. You had a feeling getting his friend's attention wouldn't be easy. The two began to giggle like idiots as they stared at one another. From that moment forward, all you heard from_ _Hwayoung_ _was the name '_ _Seungwon_ _' and it drove you crazy. She eventually calmed down about him but that didn't mean his name never left her lips again. She told you when they first kissed and when she promised to be his. You always wondered if the Crown Prince knew as much as you did._

*~*

It seems like now you finally got your answer. Seungwon and Hwayoung did better at hiding their feelings around others. Sort of. They could get away with just enough to have not been caught all these years. Sighing, you looked back at the King to feel your own face heat up again. You're not used to talking to him or being so close to him anymore. It felt wrong to say you were uncomfortable, but it was something you would have to adjust to. Especially since the King rarely showed his emotions on his face. It made it feel like he was peering into your soul.

"I'm so sorry, your Majesty!" You bowed in an instant. It was going to drive you mad if you didn't mention yesterday. Keeping your body down, all you heard was a sigh leave the King.

"I figured that's what had you so stiff," He said as he turned away from you. His eyes were looking up at the sky, watching the birds fly over the palace. "You defy me multiple times and then look me in the eyes this morning. A bit shameless, aren't you?"

"I...I apologize, my King." You went down on your knees. Your heart was pounding rapidly in your chest, angry with yourself. Seungwon and Hwayoung had crossed the bridge already, not seeing what was happening between the King and you.

"And what exactly are you apologizing for? All I hear are words from you." The King's words were bitter. He clicked his tongue before looking down at you. "Lift your head, Angel (F/n)."

"I don't deserve to, your Highness." You shook your head in denial. The King stayed silent this time around as he stared at you. No remarks left him as watched your small form try to shrink in front of him. It didn't take long for him to realize he hated this.

"Up. Get up!" The King huffed. He continued to grow uncomfortable by your formal bow to the point he was panicking. He looked around him, but it was just the two of you near the pond. The others were on the other side probably kissing. The King was quick to grab your arm, pulling you up by force. A small yelp left you out of shock. You didn't expect the King to do that. "I'm sorry..." You rubbed your arm to see emotion on the King's face. He was being sincere yet you still felt guilty.

"(F/n)!?" Hwayoung shouted. The King froze at your friend's call. She had quite the voice, but you didn't want to make her worry. Everything was fine.

"I'm okay! Go back to kissing the young master!" You made sure to add some teasing. This was the only way to prevent her from coming over the bridge. The King stifled a chuckle as he heard Hwayoung stumbling over her words.

"You—!! Quiet!" Was all she could say.

Smiling to yourself, you knew you managed to give the King and you some privacy. You turned to face him again with a reassuring look. Hwayoung wouldn't come over the bridge. She'd be too embarrassed either because you were saying such things or because you were spot on. The King relaxed with his hands behind his back. He still had an apologetic look in his eyes but didn't say anything. It was alright. You didn't mind in the least. It didn't feel right to have him saying sorry to you. Yet again you were ignoring his orders.

"Don't be sorry, my King. I've had worse injuries." You smiled to see the discontent on his face.

"I don't understand why you women have to protect me. The seven of you should be in dresses doing simple work rather than this." The King motioned his hand towards your sword as if it were a venomous snake. Simple work? You frowned to see he was against the idea of angels. "I mean, it's not like the wonhwa worked for Silla."

"They failed because their leaders were incompetent and one murdered the other in cold blood. Us angels would never do such a thing." You hated the comparison. Angels were seven ladies while the wonhwa contained many women. There were many differences that you didn't want to hear about them. "Besides, I am quite grateful for the life I was given. Fate told me to protect you and I will do so without question."

"Without questioning, do you ever know the answer?" The King sighed. "Fate...the concept—"

"Do you not believe it?" You watched him look away from you.

"No. Many palace women have been telling me that marrying Lady Eunchae is fate when it is not." The King glared at nothing in particular. "It is nothing but my Eomeoni's dying wish."

"Ah, well...I'm sure you want to make her happy," You said. Who told him? You could have sworn he was clueless about the marriage part. Maybe Seungwon or Solji told him. Standing next to the King, you felt small. His aura was strong and filled with anger that you didn't know what else to say.

"Of course. If that's what she wants." The King's lips thinned. The two of you didn't say anything else to one another. He didn't seem to mind the silence while you wondered if you were allowed to go. Hwayoung was busy and you didn't feel needed. Then again, a shadow should stay near their person. You were shifting around when you saw Hwayoung walking across the bridge with Seungwon behind her. They had smiles on their faces and were about to say something when you heard movement on tile. Hwayoung and you were quick to turn to the source, seeing Jeonghwa standing on the rooftop.

"Angels! Young master, Seungwon! Your Majesty!" Jeonghwa bowed before raising her head. "Solji unnie wants all the angels and the King to meet to discuss the travel plans."

"We will be there." You nodded as Jeonghwa took off. She must be going back to the others. Hwayoung got off the bridge by the time Seungwon raised a brow at her.

"Travel plans?" Seungwon questioned. Wait, he doesn't know? You would have thought Hwayoung told him this immediately. The two can never hold secrets from one another. Hwayoung faced him with a frown.

"I'll tell you after," She whispered. You turned to the King with a small smile.

"Are you ready to meet with the angels?" You asked.

The King stayed silent as he began to walk forward anyway. You suppose that's one way of saying 'yes'. Staying close to the King, you overheard Hwayoung parting with Seungwon. She soon rushed to the other side of the King's side. The two of you were guarding him protectively with stoic expressions. Years of training were finally coming in handy. Though you were thrilled to be putting your job to the test, it was clear the King wasn't enjoying it as much. He had his own views that were quite different from yours. Despite that, he was following through with what was needed of him. That had to mean he believed in fate just a little bit.

Hwayoung and you guided to King over to the royal court. Solji would be waiting there with the other angels already. As the three of you made your way across the palace, many servants stopped in their tracks to bow at the King's presence until he was out of sight. Eventually the three of you arrived in front of the royal court. He climbed the steps, keeping his hands close to himself as Hwayoung gave a nod to a palace woman and eunuch. It was loudly announced that you three had arrived. Slowly the doors were opened for you three to enter. Solji was inside with the others, bowing the minute the King walked into the room. The door was closed behind Hwayoung and you as the King asked the other angels to raise their heads already.

"My King, I haven't properly congratulated you on your coronation." Solji smiled fondly at the man. "You've grown so much."

"Ah, yes..." The King almost looked embarrassed. Solji was only five years old when the royal King was first born. She had the most memories of him when he was a young boy. "Shall we—?"

"We have waited for this moment, your Highness!" Hyojin stood tall. "Please use us angels. We have abilities that can help you."

"Fate made us yours." Heeyeon bowed her head again.

"I cried at your coronation, your Majesty." Jeonghwa bounced on her toes. "I'm certain her Highness was smiling down at you from the Heaven's!"

"Oh, you're going to make me cry!" Hyelin pouted.

The King pursed his lips at all his guardian angels. There haven't been many instances where he had all seven with him. You could only list a handful of times. A majority of them were during special occasions. Even then, he would try to lose all of you except Hwayoung and you had to be attached to him at least. Ten feet away, of course. Now the seven of you were crowding him in excitement. The King swallowed, taken aback by his little team of warriors. He didn't know what to say as he kept glancing at Solji in hopes that she would get to business already.

You felt like giggling with the girls too except you knew it wasn't time for that. Solji is supposed to discuss the plans of travel today. All of you only have two weeks to spend at the palace before the journey begins. The task would have started earlier, but Heeyeon insisted on waiting for the wealthy merchant to get a new import of rare cloths from the west. The idea was to bring multiple rare riches and goods to help sway the King's uncle into letting him marry Lady Eunchae. You highly doubt he will deny the request though. Solji finally cleared her throat, the rest of the angels splitting into three lines with her and the King in the center. You stood with Hwayoung and Jeonghwa while the other side was Hyojin, Heeyeon, and Hyelin.

"I'm sure you've heard about your mother's last wish." Solji's voice was quieter this time. It was clear and calm, allowing the King to collect himself again.

"I've heard the rumors that she wants me to marry Lady Eunchae and continue the bloodline. Am I correct?" He sighed. The rest of the angels were silent and stoic, leaving the King slightly unsettled. He even glanced back at you to see you expressionless. He turned his attention back to Solji who was currently the only angel given permission to speak to him. All of you acted unproper a while ago.

"You are correct. We have two weeks of preparing until we leave the palace and head to Lady Eunchae." Solji nodded her head before snapping her fingers for Heeyeon to speak.

"We are currently preparing two carriages and horses, your Highness!" Heeyeon stated. "One is filled with one of kind gifts for the Lady's family with some food and water to for us during the travel."

"How long is the journey?" The King furrowed his brows. Heeyeon stepped back into her line, no longer speaking. This time it was Hyojin who wanted to say her part. Solji gave her permission, the angel stepping out of the line.

"It is a month long journey due to the mountain terrain and the fact that we won't have enough people to ride through the night. We will stop whenever the sunsets and continue when it rises." Hyojin bowed her head.

"A month!?" The King raised his voice. He let out a frustrated sigh as he looked away from all the angels. "Why does the trip have to take that long? And what do you mean we don't have enough people? Don't I own an entire army?"

"Only the angels are coming along, my King," Hyelin mumbled. The King became stiff at the information, wanting to rip out his long hair. He pushed back a few locks as he faced Solji again.

"Only the angels?" The King's shoulders were beginning to sink.

"Yes, my King. Then with the seasons currently transitioning from winter to spring, it won't be easy going through nature. The journey back will be a lot easier," Solji said. She looked over at Jeonghwa who was itching to speak on the matter.

"Yes! Lady Eunchae will have a more comfortable journey back to our palace!" Jeonghwa grinned. "It will be spring and there will be so many flowers! It will feel as if nature itself is congratulating the both of you."

"Solji unnie and Heeyeon unnie have also worked on creating a special map," Hwayoung informed the King. He turned to face her with one brow raised at the mention of this map. Hwayoung didn't bother looking the King in the eyes. She kept her eyes elsewhere as she spoke with no emotion. "This map helps make the journey only one month seeing as Lady Eunchae lives on the far edge of the nation."

"It is true, my King. The journey is as quick as it can be made," You chimed in. He only sighed again as he faced Solji. During the entire meeting, none of the angels looked him in the eyes. Postures were kept at their best and stoic expressions were on all of your faces. On the inside though, you were extremely thrilled to finally be putting your years of training into action. The King will finally make use of his angels and your fate grows meaning. The King crossed his arms, staring down at Solji.

"It would be faster if we brought more people." The King argued.

"I understand, but this is only a marriage proposal. We shouldn't bring an entire fleet to ask for Lady Eunchae's hand." Solji shook her head at him. His face stayed tight, knowing Solji was going to win this. "If sending a letter were appropriate, we would have done that except this is a serious matter. This is her Majesty's last wish, my King. Let's go through with it like fate intended."

"Fate..." The King closed his eyes. He was silent for a few seconds until he began to nod his own head. "Of course. I will do so for her and marry Lady Eunchae."

"We will discuss at another time. The only thing I request of you my King is to pack anything you will need for the journey." Solji bowed with the rest of you following her actions. He didn't say a word as Solji asked permission for the angels to be excused.

The King only waved all of you away, the girls standing up tall again. They all stepped out of the room while the King didn't leave his spot at the center of the royal court. You were going to give him some privacy as you went towards the door but felt some hesitance. Why? Looking over your shoulder, you watched the King let out a growl as he kicked the ground. He huffed angrily as he stared up at the throne in the center of the room. That was his official seat now. He was struggling to even look at it so he turned around, immediately seeing you at the door.

"You...don't you ever leave?" The King found you annoying. That didn't take long for you to figure out.

"I am your sha—"

"Wait outside. Do you not remember the rule of ten feet? Any of that?" His sharp eyes began to burn as he glared at you. Staying silent, you kept your eyes low on the ground. "Well? Speak!"

"I have faith as you in King! Yet I am beginning to feel unsure..." You admitted. You swallowed hard as the King scoffed at your words. "Please don't disappoint an entire nation over petty feelings."

"You're quite bold talking to me like that..." The King walked up to you. He came up close, tilting his head at you. "Look me in the eyes."

Carefully, you did as you were instructed. A part of you believed you would be reprimanded physically for having no manners towards your King. You strongly trusted fate and he was acting like this. At first, you had sympathy for the King but eventually you were seeing him as childish. You didn't want to view him in such a low light. What you wanted was for him to take charge and to prove you wrong. He's capable of so much more. That is something you're certain of. Meeting his eyes, you could spot it right away. He glared at you and did his best to leave you intimidated but was unsuccessful.

"Even with an entire nation cheering your name...you're so lonely," You whispered. In that moment, the King tensed up at your words. He stepped away in shock as you took that chance to wait for him outside like he asked. The King watched you leave, feeling more upset than before. How dare you?


	5. Consistent Mistakes

Ch.4

A shadow probably shouldn't be avoiding their King just because they're embarrassed. No, you knew that should never be done. You also shouldn't have spoken to your King like that to begin with. It's so hard understanding what he wants from you though. One moment you believe you're comforting the King by being truthful and then he gets offended. He tells you that you're being shameless of all things. Then as soon as you begin treating him like a King, he gets uncomfortable and takes it back. He made no sense to you and you felt bad for feeling frustrated with him. In the end, you have gained a target on your back. There is no doubt about that.

The King trusts Solji as she is his physician and elder. His parents adored her when alive and she is also the leader of the angels. Then he holds respect for Hyojin for what she does and everything she has been through. Heeyeon kept up with him in his studies, gaining his approval just enough. As for Hyelin, he doesn't speak with her often, but he sees how useful she is to the palace. She also doesn't cause any problems for him. Jeonghwa is then younger than the King so he naturally lets her bubbly attitude slide even when she is supposed to be a little more serious. As for Hwayoung, she performed her job well and was Seungwon's woman. The King seems to be okay with her for that reason.

Then there was you. Born the same year as him yet you were always conflicting when talking to him. He's a great King yet you told him he could possibly disappoint the entire nation. You smacked your face multiple times, wishing he had just whipped you for the things that came out your mouth. That would _almost_ be a less painful experience. He didn't like the way you spoke to him and that was made clear right away. If you see him, you don't know what you would say to him. That's why you pleaded with Hwayoung to watch the King instead of you. Let her be his shadow for today while you go with Hyelin and Heeyeon to the wealthy merchant. He had some new items the King could offer to Lady Eunchae.

Luckily, Hwayoung accepted your pleads. She figured she would get to see Seungwon at least once today. She would do a much better job being the King's shadow anyway. She will follow his commands, not get in his way, or aggravate him. Looking back on all your recent interactions with him, you whined softly to yourself. Come on! You're supposed to be an angel. All these years of training for what? While Hyelin and Heeyeon rode their horses in front of you, you were following behind with an anxious look. Hopefully by the next time you meet his Majesty, you quit embarrassing yourself and be an angel he can respect.

"(F/n)! Did you fall asleep?" Heeyeon shouted, slowing down her horse. Hyelin panicked as she attempted to bring her horse to a sudden halt. Hyelin held onto her reins tightly, doing her best not to panic the large animal as you snapped out of your thoughts.

"Huh? Oh! Sorry!" You frowned.

"Don't worry. The trip to the merchant and back shouldn't take that long if something is on your mind." Heeyeon chuckled at your behavior. You were able to relax in front of her, happy she didn't bother asking you exactly what is was.

"How come someone else getting distracted almost killed me?" Hyelin panted, closing her eyes. "Ah, that wasn't fun."

"Don't get killed now. We have a job to do!" Heeyeon smirked before whipping down the reins on her horse.

"I know that!" Hyelin pouted until she saw your horse pass right by her. "Hey! Don't leave me behind!" She whipped her own reins, following closely behind the two of you.

Heeyeon and you laughed as she kept shouting nonsensical things at the both of you. Hyelin could always be a bit weird, but she was lovable. A majority of your own laughter was from how loud Heeyeon was snorting. She purposely wanted to tease Hyelin like this for her amusement. You let it happen without saying anything, only trying to go to this Queen approved merchant with them. The three of you entered the streets, slowing down your horses now that the roads were getting crowded with people. The capital was incredibly populated so that made travel a bit slow at the times. You were willing to be patient and Hyelin was only whining softly. Unfortunately, unnie did things her own way.

"Yah! Make room! We are on important business!" Heeyeon insisted, clicking her tongue and making sure people cleared the way.

That was one way to do it you suppose. Many civilians were staring at the three of you oddly. The same women dressed as men, carrying weapons. Not many people knew of the King's guardian angels. It was something your nation always tries to keep hidden. Only high nobles were aware of who the three of you were. Everyone here though were modest people living their lives or beggars. You kept a tight smile on your face as Heeyeon managed to create a little path. You were trying to pretend Hyelin and you weren't associated with her, but it failed right away if the same clothes weren't a giveaway.

It was a good thing that the merchant didn't live too far. Any longer of Heeyeon loudly shouting at people, you would have just turned around. Solji would have cleared the way with grace and Hyojin might have done it a little aggressively with violence. Heeyeon was doing it with no manners, acting like a drunk military general. You continuously shook your head behind her as Hyelin giggled to herself, in her own world. Arriving at the merchant's location felt like a blessing. It was a miracle that the three of you made it without your face looking as red as a rose. Tying your horse to a fence, you headed over to the merchant's front door.

This man was extremely wealthy and had a large home. Instead of using the place as his home, he turned it into a little market inside. He had servants handling certain stands and a few people even paid to rent their own stands inside his home. The merchant was clearly a successful businessman. You could understand why the former Queen preferred this one. Heeyeon and Hyelin walked inside with you, heading towards the first stand that appeared near the entrance. A man stood behind the counter with expensive robes, smiling to see you girls walking up to him.

"Are you the owner of the capital market?" Heeyeon asked.

"That would be me, yes." He grinned with a chuckle, bowing his head. "I am Kim Seokjin and it is an honor seeing the angels in front of me."

"Oh, he knows!" Hyelin said in surprise.

"I'm sure you were aware that we were coming here." Heeyeon pointed out. Seokjin nodded his head, keeping a gentle smile on his face. It made you wonder how much he truly knew then if he had such close ties and connections with people of high status. You eyed the man up and down. There was nothing suspicious about him. Though you did have to admit he was very handsome with his hair tied up in a bun. No hair was out of place and he even had long side bangs across his forehead, framing his face perfectly.

"Hello there, Angel." Seokjin sent you a wink. Heeyeon and Hyelin looked over at you in surprise, noting how embarrassed you became. Were you staring for too long?

"I apologize! Please don't get the wrong idea!" You bowed your head, unable to lift it up. The blush on your face was beginning to spread to the rest of your body. It didn't help that your unnies thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world.

"I don't mind." Seokjin shrugged, a pleased smile on his face.

"Let me apologize for her. She's the youngest one with us right now." Heeyeon patted her hand on your head. Was she mocking you now? You frowned as it slowly clicked in your mind.

"She's never really spoken to a man before. I guess that's why she got so distracted looking at you," Hyelin teased as you straightened your posture.

"That is not true!!" You whined. The two had evil grins on their faces, giggling and embarrassing you further than was needed. So much for avoiding the King for safety.

Seokjin didn't care as he eventually got the girls to focus on business again. They came here for items that came from the west. Rare and expensive. You officially stopped listening in, blocking out everything as you walked away from the them. You'll just wait at the side since you felt like you needed a minute to pull yourself together. Why can't you just act right? This wasn't a problem beforehand. Sighing heavily to yourself, you paced near the entrance of the market with a stoic expression. A few kids were playing and immediately froze to see your cold exterior. Were you that scary when you were a guard? They awkwardly left the building, making you sigh again.

That didn't make you feel better in the slightest. Crossing your arms, you looked back over at the angels. They were looking over items together. Hyelin was in awe of every single one while Heeyeon was doing a better job at examining the goods and bargaining for them. You don't know how long this will take. Pursing your lips, you let your eyes look around before you spotted a mysterious looking item on the floor. Was it always there? You blinked repeatedly to make sure you weren't seeing things. Does anyone else see it? You carefully walked up to the item that was in the middle of a pathway between stands. You're surprised no one claimed this and that it's in good condition. What even is it?

Turning it over in your hands, you stared at the metal curiously. It was a wooden box with an interesting shape to it. A type of metal decorated it that it made you wonder how it looked like on the inside. That's when you realized something. There was no opening. Well, it can't just be decoration. You looked over the item again to see there was in fact a lid! Though your attempts to pry the box open were proving to be futile. Why won't it open!? Letting out a huff, you walked over to the stand where Seokjin was. Heeyeon and Hyelin were busy judging a dress which you hoped was for Lady Eunchae and not for one of them.

"Excuse me. What is this?" You held the box up to him. Seokjin turned to face you, his face brightening up.

"Ah! That is a jewelry box from Japan!" Seokjin answered, clasping his hands together. A jewelry box? You owned no jewels, but it was a pretty box. You stared at it as Seokjin kept his eyes on you playing with the box.

"How does it open though?" You questioned.

"It is a puzzle. I'm not quite sure myself." Seokjin clicked his tongue. "It was explained to me, but I forgot. That's odd though...I could have sworn I had this item hidden in the back of my stand."

"Really?" Your brows jumped. Then why was it on the ground? Biting your lip, you wondered if that was information worth mentioning. You kept making little attempts to open the box, getting frustrated with your lack of progress.

"You can have it for free if you want," Seokjin said. Pausing, you looked up at him in shock.

"For free? Are you sure?" You scanned his face. He didn't appear to be joking or have a special condition to make.

"I think it would be a hard item to sell considering I forgot how to open it myself." Seokjin chuckled. "Maybe you'll figure it out."

"Thank you...I'll do my best to open it!" You held the box close to your chest.

Buying items was never really something you did often. You didn't even have anything to fill this box with, but you greatly appreciated receiving it as a gift. You could understand why the Queen had preferred trading with this merchant. He appears to be a fair man. The only odd thing was how you found this box. Was it fate? You continued playing with it the entire time Heeyeon and Hyelin went through items. They accepted some while crossing out other options, insisting they knew what was best. You were certain that they were clueless. Either way, they paid for specific items and those would be sent to the palace soon.

So far your progress on the jewelry box was minimal. You were able to turn a metal leaf and turn a wooden piece, but you don't think that did anything. Were they connected? Did you have to do it in a certain order? Figuring out the box was put on hold when the three of you went back out to your horses to return to the palace. Heeyeon and Hyelin were going to find Solji to discuss how it went at the market. You were free to join or go to the King. With a serious expression, you said you would go to your King's aid. The girls left like fools! The minute you were alone, you returned to focusing on your puzzle box. There's no way you're going to the King right now. You're still embarrassed and figuring out this puzzle will be the death of you.

One thing you did notice was that if you didn't have the metal leaf turned then you weren't able to move the wooden piece. That's something! You walked around the palace with box in your hands. All your focus was on this object that you weren't even looking at what was in front of you. There was not a single thought of worry about that though. Everything was about this stupid box! Your patience was running thin yet you kept tugging at it in hopes that you would get somewhere with it. While you were consumed with this box and too busy for your own good, two people spotted you. They stopped in their tracks to watch you. Specifically, one did and the other stopped because of them.

"Hold on." The King raised his hand, eyes narrowing down on your form. "Didn't you say her and two other angels were going to the market?"

"They must have come back, my King," Hwayoung answered. "The others should currently be informing Angel Solji of what they bought for Lady Eunchae."

"Then why...is she there? With that?" The King questioned it more to himself than anyone else. Hwayoung had no answer, staying silent. The King noted how you didn't even notice him nor your friend. You were visibly making your way towards them at a snail's pace. "You may go."

"Go?" Hwayoung almost raised her eyes to look at him.

"My other shadow is here. I'll speak to her privately." The King sighed. Hwayoung listened to his reasoning, bowing and soon running off. She jumped onto a thin fence, latching onto a balcony and thrusting herself upward. The King made sure Hwayoung left, watching her jump onto the palace walls and run in the direction of the angel quarters. He nodded to himself before facing you again, taking a few steps forward.

You were in your own world. Just when you thought you were making progress, it turned out you were doing nothing! Maybe you could bring this with you on the journey to Lady Eunchae. It will pass the time. On the other hand, you think you'll go mad if you don't have it open by the time the travel begins. You just didn't want to give up so easily, but was it possible to do anything when you were so clueless? Sighing heavily, you shook the box aggressively in your hands as if that would magically make it open up. You were beginning to get desperate.

"Open, you stupid—!" You bumped into a chest. Suddenly your face smooshed against cloth with your arms awkwardly curling in with the object. Taking a step away, you were ready to make a quick apology until you saw who you bumped into. Out of all people, of course it's him! Just your luck! "Y-Your Majesty! I am so sorry!" You fell down to your knees as he stared down at you. The box was carefully set down on the ground to as you kept your head down.

"Mindlessly walking? An angel really shouldn't be doing such a thing. You _shouldn't_ be capable of such a thing." His words came out harsh. Your lips tugged themselves into a deep frown. He's not wrong, but it felt unfair. "And why? Because of...what is this?" The King kicked the box with his foot. Right away, you jumped to catch it before any damage could happen to it. Your eyes were wide in panic while his eyes widened in surprise. You would go out of your way to save that little thing?

"I-I...I'm sorry for leaving my bow, but this jewelry box is important to me." You held it close. The King stared down at you as if you were being ridiculous. Maybe you were. You've only owned it for a few hours of the day. "I don't own much, my King."

"You don't own jewelry?" The King scoffed. You nodded gently, keeping the box pressed against your chest. Even if you were an angel, that didn't mean you got to live a luxurious life. You were still a servant to the King.

"Even if I did, I don't know how to open the box." You stood up onto your feet. Dusting off the box, you started from the beginning again with the leaf. Another sigh left your lips to know you probably wouldn't be able to open this by yourself tonight. Maybe Heeyeon can help you since she's really smart. That wasn't as bad as the fact that you have to stay by the King's side right now. Hwayoung was nowhere to be seen so you have to be his shadow. D*mn it, Hwayoung. Where did you go?

"Let me see that." The King held his hand out. Your eyes stared at him as he motioned for you to hand over the item. He had been watching you trying to open it for a painful amount of time. Slowly giving him the box, you stared at the King as he sighed. "Don't you just open the lid?"

"It's a puzzle," You stated.

"Puzzle?" The King furrowed his brows, attempting to pry open the jewelry box. You quickly put your hands on his to stop him. He was being too careless!

"Stop! You'll break it!" You whined. The King stopped to look at you with a glare. Right. You removed your hands from his right away, feeling your heart sink. "I am sorry for touching you, my King."

"All I hear are the wrong things from you and meaningless apologies." The King stared at the box. Playing with the cloth of your sleeve, you kept your head down in shame. You remember when the Queen would speak cruelly to her servants. She would be cold as if they meant nothing, but she never did that to any of the angels. You didn't think much of it and believed the person must have deserved it. Now you thought differently as the King brought your spirits down. He was kind when the two of you were younger. "I have been King for less than a week yet I can name many instances where you behaved in an awful manner. Are you truly qualified to be an angel? To be my guardian angel?"

"Your Grace—!" You lifted your head in shock.

"Did I give you permission to speak!?" He barked. You lowered your head down again, feeling your eyes sting. You knew better than to cry. The moment you do, you are no longer an angel to the King. You should be stronger than this. "Just the sight of you irritates me."

"..." You felt sick to your stomach. Though as he yelled at you, you heard him make noises on your jewelry box. What was he doing to it? Lightly lifting your head, you saw his hands working to open it. He had gotten a lot further than you. He might have been berating you, but you blocked it out entirely as you watched him successfully open the box. "My King! You're so intelligent! You opened it!" You smiled. Bouncing at your toes, you clasped your hands together as you looked at him.

"Take your box." The King shoved it in your hands. Gripping it tightly, you hadn't realized how much you were trembling. He stared at you as you kept your eyes on the box.

"I agree, your Majesty." You nodded.

"Agree with what?" He tilted his head at you. No matter what you did, you annoyed him. That was something you were trying to make yourself come to terms with.

"I am awful. I need to a better angel for you because all I do consistently is make mistakes," You stated. The King was silent as you lifted your head again. "I promise to do better. I will not speak unless granted permission, I won't look you in the eyes, nor will I do anything unless it is an order from you."

"...if that's what makes you feel better." The King turned away, taking a step forward until he looked back at you. You were still staring at your box, blinking so any possibilities of tears would leave. He sighed heavily as he looked up at the sky. "Angel (F/n), follow me. Angel Hwayoung left and I need at least one shadow." You nodded right away at his command, standing behind him. The King's lips thinned to see you already staying true to your promises. "You may speak and give me your box again."

"May I ask what do you need it for?" You handed it to him as the two of you began walking forward. You watched him close it before looking at you.

"I need to teach you how to open it. That way you don't come to me every time," The King remarked. You slowly smiled, telling yourself that it was going to be okay.

"Thank you, my King."


	6. Bloodied Hands

Ch.5

Did the King tolerate you? The message you got yesterday was him telling you that he couldn't care less if you were shot with arrows and tossed into the river. You doubt he would request for your body to be found. He was so cold to you, scolding you and making you feel worthless. Then all you did was smile back at him and agreed to his words. Sighing heavily, you tossed and turned in your bed. The King wasn't making sense though! After he gave you a harangue, he insisted you shadow him and taught you how to open your jewelry box. Why would he do that if he couldn't stand the sight of you? He said that clearly in his own words too!

He made it a big point to tell you how much he hated your very existence. Next thing you know, he's carefully explaining to you how to open it. The King makes no sense! You still couldn't please him. Currently, your new tactic was to act exactly like Hwayoung. Almost like a dead person who follows orders. A little rude, but it was the truth. It was exactly how the angels were trained to behave. Sitting up in your bed, you reached for the jewelry box. You closed it before going to bed in hopes that you would remember how to open it in the morning. Biting your lip, you carefully went through the fourteen steps the King showed you.

In the time you were practicing on opening it repeatedly, the other angels woke up and got ready for the day. Solji was the first out as always. She made sure to announce that everyone needs to be awake in an hour. Hyojin slept through that, but Jeonghwa heard it loud and clear. You ignored the screaming as you worked on the fifth step. You occasionally get confused with the six pieces the puzzle uses repeatedly and the order. Hwayoung jumped off her back, running a hand through her hair as she stared down at you. She blinked at the box with a sigh.

"Is that the noise?" She asked. You smiled shyly, realizing how much noise this box must be making to open.

"I've watched her open it four times. Four times!" Heeyeon sat up in her bunk. "All times were incredibly slow that I think I memorized the pattern myself."

"Ah, sorry...I didn't know I was being so loud." You frowned. Hwayoung shook her head softly as she began to brush her hair. Hyelin was up, scratching her behind as she went searching for her armor. Heeyeon stretched her arms, laughing at the sight. "I just want to make sure I remember it. The King opened it for me and told me not to ask for his help anymore."

"Well, I memorized it. I can help you if you need it." Heeyeon smiled as she carefully climbed down from her bed.

"Thank you, Unnie." You bowed your head. Setting the box aside, you figured it was time you get ready yourself.

Hyelin woke up after you yet she was already heading out the door. Half asleep but doing better than you. A sigh left your lips as Jeonghwa followed after with a bounce to her steps. She managed to wake up Hyojin who kept grumbling complaints. You couldn't understand, but it was pretty clear she would have wanted to sleep in. Hwayoung and you held in laughter when Heeyeon began to scold the older. She better not complain so much in front of the King when the month long journey begins. That only caused Hyojin to whine some more and threaten to hit Heeyeon. She may look tough to everyone else, but Hyojin is quite the feminine type.

"Whining like a little girl!" Heeyeon clicked her tongue as she opened the door.

"Aish, who raised you?" Hyojin scoffed in attempts to hide her laughter. The two walked out, leaving Hwayoung and you the only ones left in the angel quarter.

Hyojin got ready faster this time around. That almost made you want to praise her. Besides Jeonghwa typically having to wake Hyojin up, Heeyeon has done so too. Instead of banging on the bed or tugging at the blankets, Heeyeon usually climbs in and starts aggressively cuddling Hyojin. At that point, no one can ignore the screaming coming from the angel's quarters. All your angels are so loud. As you brushed your own hair, Hwayoung placed the hairpin inside her hair. She made sure it was placed securely in her hair before walking over to get the last two uniforms left in the room. You didn't have to say anything for her to leave yours on your bed.

"Thank you~!" You sang as she chuckled.

"It's nothing." She began to remove her sleepwear. "I actually wanted to ask you a question about yesterday."

"Yesterday? What is it?" You finished tying your hair up. Half of it was up while the rest of it hung down your shoulders like the rest of the girls.

"The King helped you with the jewelry box. That was very kind of him," Hwayoung said. Your smile became tight to hear that. "He hasn't expressed many things to me or to the others from what I hear. Have you grown closer to the King?"

"Closer?" You couldn't hold it in anymore. Turning to face Hwayoung, you finally decided to be truthful with the stress you were feeling. Hwayoung raised a brow at you before she quickly grew concerned. With the biggest frown on your face, you looked like you were going to cry. There were no tears, but you were just frustrated! "AAAH! Hwayoung, he hates me! He hates me so much and I don't know what I'm doing wrong at this point!"

"Hates you? Why would the King hate you? How?" Hwayoung blinked with uncertainty. Very kind of her to think you weren't unlikeable, but how wrong she was! You whimpered like a sad animal. It was your fate to protect the King and he clearly doesn't want you having anything to do with him.

"I-I just speak and it's the wrong thing! No matter what I do, he finds something wrong with it." You fell on your bed, letting your shoulders sink. "The King told me yesterday that the sight of me irritates him."

"Irritates him!?" Hwayoung raised her voice. She frowned for you before clearing her throat. The two of you were speaking dangerously. None of you should speak ill of the king no matter what. If anyone were to overhear and twist your words, there could be dire consequences. Hwayoung sighed as she faced you again. "I'm sorry, (F/n). He only needs to get to know you to discover that you're not as awful as he perceives."

"I just want to avoid him at all times...but I'm his shadow." You groaned, taking off your sleepwear.

"So that's why you want me to shadow the King," Hwayoung said to herself. She tightened the belt around her waist. Now you felt guilty for basically using her. Pursing your lips, you switched into your armor with a downhearted attitude. "Well, if it makes you feel better all the angels have to be with the King today. We're meeting at the grand hall with the King's royal court for a meeting."

"We all have to!?" You raised your head in surprise. How come this is the first you're hearing of this? You wanted to pout, but you suppose this was better than being with him alone. Though you won't put it past him to degrade you in front of the other angels. Hell, he'd do it in front of the entire court. Maybe the whole nation while he's at it! "I guess it comforts me to have you all there...but promise me, Hwayoung. Do _not_ leave me alone with his Grace."

"I promise." Hwayoung gave you a small smile.

The two of you now stood in your armor, ready to walk around the palace. You took in a deep breath to prepare your stoic features. It took Hwayoung no effort as the two of you left the quarter. It used to be easier to act like Hwayoung. Now that you've been worrying about surviving near the King, you've been acting like you've forgotten your training entirely. You're a qualified angel. You know that. Chewing on the inside of your cheek, you reminded yourself of the promise you created with the King yesterday. No speaking without permission. Don't act without permission. Everything you do is at his command. You've trained for this so it can't be too hard to follow through.

The first thing on today's list was arriving at the King's wing. It was the shadow's job to escort the King over to the royal court. Hwayoung was leading the way while you had some hesitance in your steps. There was no time for that though. Quickening your pace, the two of you arrived at the top of the stairs in front of his Majesty's room. The palace women bowed as they acknowledged his angel's presence. You gave them the nod to announce the arrival of his two shadows. With a loud voice, your names were shouted before the doors opened. Hwayoung and you entered the room, bowing the second the doors closed behind the two of you.

The King stood in his room, dressed in expensive material. He sat in his chair as he stared at the both of you. Next to him was Seungwon who had a small smile on his face. Of course, he was happy to see his woman. The King didn't care much but you could feel his eyes burning on the back of your head. He's glaring at you, isn't he!? You might be paranoid, but you know you're also right. The King sighed as he allowed the two of you to raise your heads. Hwayoung looked stiff in front of the King as the two of you stood like stone in front of him. She was doing her best to speak while reading the tension between the King and you.

"We have come to escort you to the royal court, your Majesty," Hwayoung stated.

"I've been waiting," The King responded. Your eyes remained on the ground, keeping your promise to not look at him. You'll treat him like a King and nothing more. You should have tried to change the rules of fate by comforting him. Being his guardian angel is all you are to him.

"Are you ready to leave?" Hwayoung did her best not to glance at Seungwon. Though she did notice the King's gaze lingering on your form. "My King?"

"Yes, I'm ready." He stood up from his throne. A prolonged breath left him as he walked over to place himself between his shadows. He nodded, ready to have the two of you escort him safely over to the royal court.

You're thankful that the King hasn't asked you to speak or even look him in the eyes. Doing nothing like this right now was working perfectly. Soon he might forget why exactly he hated you in the first place! While Hwayoung and you walked by the King's sides, the rest of his servants walked behind him. At least all of them were traveling in a small pack closely behind. It was nothing out of the ordinary yet you could hear the King sighing over and over again. No, it was none of your business. Other servants bowed their head as the King walked past them. It was something he was used to, but did he want to be used to this? He suddenly paused in front of the steps to the royal court, turning to face his people.

"You may all return to my wing." The King's lips thinned, pressing tightly against each other.

"Shall two of us stay to wait for you, Great King?" One servant asked. A chuckle almost left the King's lips to be called that.

"Fine. Two wait outside the door near the front." The King waved them away. "My two angels, lead me to the others."

"Yes, King!" Hwayoung and you bowed. Instantly, the two of you were leading the way to the angels. They should be standing at the side of the royal court. They must be waiting for the three of you to appear already.

As Hwayoung and you walked, the King kept glancing between the two of you. So this is how the angels are supposed to act? He was used to this from Hwayoung. Though he genuinely believed Hwayoung had no emotions and that this was her personality. Except that didn't quite explain why she acted gentle in front of Seungwon. After he scolded you yesterday, he started noting the similarities. This stone cold guard is how angels were trained to be then. The King wasn't so sure he liked the idea of that. He's supposed to spend a month with seven rocks? They rarely ever acted like girls, much less human in front of him.

Well, you showed him a human side. Then he scolded you for it. The King eyed you up and down, a frown on his face. It was as if your personality had been thrown out. It was what you thought he wanted after all. He wanted to sigh again but held it in as he saw the rest of the angels on the side of the grand hall building. Their postures were already straightened as the King came into their presence. They bowed in unison, almost taking the King aback. He's going to have to get used to spending time with these women. They slightly terrified him and made him uncomfortable, but he knew he had the upper hand in the end. He ordered them to raise their heads, allowing Solji to speak.

"Good morning, my King! I hope you slept well." Solji smiled.

"I slept fine, thank you." The King looked around. "So what is this meeting about?"

"The scholars have a few worries about the length of your journey. I'm sure you can ease them with the use of us." Solji motioned to all the angels. They nodded enthusiastically as the King gave them a weak smile.

"Are any of them mad?" The King raised a brow. "I've seen a few of these meetings and there's been at least one nuisance who talks more than the others."

"Ah, that I don't know." Solji shook her head.

"Will someone die today?" Heeyeon nudged Hyojin, her whisper not so quiet.

"I hope so," Hyojin muttered. The two nodded subtly as the King pretended he didn't hear their side conversation. He clasped his hands together when he heard Hyelin click her tongue.

"I apologize, my King, but where is your belt?" Hyelin point at his outfit. That's when all the angels turned to inspect his clothes. He may have been dressed like a King, but there was nothing tying his coat shut. The King looked down at himself in embarrassment, rushing to shut his coat despite having many layers on.

"I will retrieve the belt for you, my King." Jeonghwa bowed. "Please wait before entering."

"Aish, how could you two let him leave like that?" Heeyeon frowned. Hwayoung and you kept your heads down.

"I'll tell the officials to wait then." Solji bowed, Hyojin and Heeyeon following after. Your eyes slowly began to widen as you saw them disappearing before your eyes. Where are they going!?

"I'll go help Jeonghwa find the belt. Come with me." Hyelin was ready to start jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Swallowing hard, you took a step forward until you noticed she was staring at Hwayoung to follow her. "Hwayoung."

"Me? Are you sure?" Hwayoung asked. "Shouldn't the King have his shadows?"

"He'll have (F/n). Come on, it is partly your fault he came out looking like that." Hyelin sighed. She grabbed Hwayoung's hand, taking your friend away. You were screaming inside your head as you stared at Hwayoung. She stared at you with an apologetic gaze before vanishing with Hyelin. D*mn it, Hwayoung! Why!?

Hwayoung's attempts to stay with you were small, but you saw them. It's not like she could suddenly deny Hyelin and be persistent on staying. That would be odd of her. However because of everything that just happened, you were abandoned. Left with the man who hates you the most in the entire world. All you could do was remain expressionless and wait for the others to come back again. You will act as a trained angel should. With your eyes low on the ground, you didn't move from your spot, but the King allowed himself to move freely. He made sure to turn himself so he was standing in front of you. None of the angels were around nor servants. What did fate have in store for you?

"Your outfit...looks strange on you." Was the first thing that left the King's lips. Strange? Your eye almost twitched to hear that comment. This uniform defined you! Swallowing down the urge to defend yourself, you let him speak. "Nothing? Will you really not say anything? Hmm, speak. Look me in the eyes as well."

"...My King, how is my uniform strange?" You carefully raised your head. You couldn't understand what he wanted from you. In your opinion, you were innocent while he was tormenting you for his own amusement. As soon as your eyes connected with his, the King began to smirk. "It is the same as the other angels."

"Ah, my bad. It just looks better on them is all." The King sighed happily as if he took a breath of fresh air. Keeping your mouth shut, you pretended his words didn't sting a little. How could it possibly look better on them? It's the same uniform! "But I see you're keeping true to your promise."

"I am, your Majesty. Anything to please you." You felt the corners of your lips want to tug upwards. No! No expressions nor a hint of emotions in your voice! You were close to slipping in that second. Naturally, you were a happy person. You've been able to get away with not being stoic for so long that your skills appeared to be rusty in front of the King.

"You have a lot of work to do if you intend to please me." The King looked away from you. He wasn't in a bright mood anymore. Did you do something wrong? He had a scowl on his face, making your heart pound. You were getting close to apologizing when you heard footsteps. They were heavy and slow against the ground. They did not belong to any of the angels. The King growled lowly, "Don't let him touch me."

There was no time to question who as you turned around to face the person. Who was making the King hostile? As you turned, you noticed the eunuch who questioned the King's authority making his way over. He was walking calmly with a smug smile. Even the glint in his eyes made the King want to bare his teeth like an animal. This eunuch was close to the former Queen yet her son was never a fan of him. The two had a history of disliking each other, but he could never say anything about the eunuch. Not when the Queen kept him by her side. The Queen was no longer here though.

"My, my! Is that King Namjoon?" The eunuch laughed obnoxiously. He paused in front of the King, a disgusting grin on his face. It was clear in your head that this man had purposefully been searching for his Highness. There was no need for the eunuch to come wandering this way. "You didn't even stay for games at your coronation!"

"I had no intention staying for anything after getting crowned," The King spoke bitterly. His words could contain venom, but the eunuch continued to smile.

"Used to staying in your room all the time? Aigoo—!" The eunuch reached to pat the King's arm. Patting, poking, or whatever his intention was did not matter. He had no right to touch the King. Following through with the King's request, your body moved by instinct. Tightly gripping the eunuch's wrist before he could lay a hand on your King, you roughly twisted it until he was facing opposite from the King.

"Who gave you permission to touch his Grace!?" You shouted. The eunuch grunted, gritting his teeth at the treatment he was receiving.

"Now, little angel...this isn't so ni—Aaah!" The eunuch could spout all the bullsh*t he wanted. You didn't have time to hear it. Bringing his arm behind his back, you locked it in a place where he would be having a cramp. The eunuch was sweating and trembling at the pain. You could feel him becoming tense as he struggled to stay still.

"You have been warned." You pushed him away. The eunuch fell forward in an instant, stumbling over his feet and landing on the ground. The King let a chuckle out to see the eunuch struggling to stand up. The man could act as if he had no pain all he wanted, you knew you did damage. It was hard not to smirk yourself. You didn't like him one bit. "Leave."

It felt good using your skills. This was the one thing you were confident about in life. The eunuch swore under his breath as he rushed to leave. You watched him to make sure he left completely before facing the King again. When you met his eyes this time, the King had a small smile on his lips. Dimples were faintly appearing on his cheeks that you couldn't help but smile yourself. Was he impressed? You did your best to follow through with his order and look at what happened. The eunuch never got to lay a single finger on your King. The royal was about to open his mouth when the other angels randomly began to appear.

Jeonghwa jumped onto the railing, lifting herself over as the three eldest turned the corner. Hyelin was running on the palace wall while Hwayoung suddenly swung in from the tall roof. She landed on the ground, quick to stand on her feet. Jeonghwa had the belt, making the eldest smile to see the job had gotten done. You held in a sigh as the King allowed the angel to put on the belt. Now he was appropriately dressed for the court meeting. He nodded his head, walking towards the entrance doors with the seven of you trailing behind him. Solji was the only who stood closest to him in the order with Hwayoung and you right behind.

"The Great King, Kim Namjoon and his guardian angels!" Solji announced. The doors then opened for all of you to enter the royal courtroom.

There was a feeling that hit you as the angels walked behind the King. Shivers ran down your spine to finally be experiencing this moment. It was almost enough to make you emotional. So many years of training to be by the King's side. You took in a breath as you took small steps with Hwayoung. The rest of the scholars in the room were bowing down in the presence of the King. Becoming an angel has consumed your entire life that you've only grown up knowing that this was your role. After years of the King avoiding the angels as best as he could, you were actually by his side now. The rest of the angels were with you with their heads held high.

As the King sat in his throne, Solji walked to the corner of the room. You followed suit as the rest of the angels began to line up next to the King. All of you would stay standing here for however long this meeting lasted. From the looks of it though, the King would want to keep this short. He sighed in his seat, having no interest in seeing any of the scholars or talking to them to begin with. They all stood in lines in order by rank in the room. It was only until the King gave them permission to raise their heads that they could do so. Many of these scholars had all sorts of jobs, but they were all wealthy and were of high status. A few of the angel's fathers were here too.

"And we begin." The King tapped his finger against the arm of his throne. All the scholars and officers of the court started by congratulating the King on his coronation, but it was clear he blocked them out. He only heard noise and waited for them to become silent. "Yes, well what was the main reason for this meeting? Who called it?"

"It was I, your Majesty." A man faced the King. His Grace stared silently at the scholar, waiting for him to continue. "The reason I suggested this meeting is because of the length of your travel. Are you sure it is safe?"

"I will have my angels and we are only meeting family. There is no reason to worry when we are not entering enemy territory," The King explained. "The journey is all in Goguryeo. Why? Why does it make you worry?"

"It's...ah..." The scholar seemed embarrassed now. The King chuckled as he fixed his posture in his seat.

"Do you fear a rebellion will take place in the month that I am gone?" The King raised a brow. The rest of the scholars became tense before they broke out into whispers at the possible idea. Pursing your lips, you looked over at your angels. As if anyone would be bold enough to attempt that crime. They would be dead before they had a chance to breathe out their plans to others. The King cleared his throat to try to regain the attention of his people. Hyojin saw this, knocking her scabbard on the ground.

"The King requests silence!" Hyojin shouted. Her voice was enough to make all the men shut their lips. The King glanced at Hyojin, quietly nodding as his eyes turned back to his people.

"There will be _no_ rebellion. I will return with a bride and produce an heir, continuing the Kim dynasty." The King narrowed his eyes. You wanted to smile at his words from the confidence he held in them. There was no hesitance. Even if he wasn't very interested in the responsibilities of being King, you're glad he wasn't throwing his power away like nothing. He's going to be a great King indeed. You were bubbling with pride as he spoke, "The journey takes a month going and returning. In that time, none of you will mention that the King has left the palace. Any of you who are caught revealing this secret will be taken care of by Angel Hyojin."

"Yes, King." The scholars glanced at the woman. She stared coldly at them, prepared to torture or kill at the word of the King. All of you were ready to do so in all sincerity.

"Other worries aside from the journey?" The King was ready to stand up and call off the meeting. He waited a few seconds, a smile almost appearing on his lips.

"What will we do about the alliance of Silla and Baekje? They stole our land!" One high ranked official frowned. Heeyeon sighed heavily and the King did his best not to pull his hair out. Instead he tucked hair behind his ear elegantly. "Who's to say they won't strike again! That they won't work to—!"

"One question at a time unless you plan to give me a headache." The King retorted. He blinked slowly, watching the man turn pale as attention drew to him. "But since you asked, I suppose I should give you an answer. Angel Heeyeon."

"Yes, my King!" She stepped forward as the King called her forward. The King pulled out a scroll from his sleeve which caused you to raise your brow. When did he have that up his sleeve? The King handed it to Heeyeon, whispering a few things as she nodded. Everyone's eyes were on Heeyeon and the mysterious scroll. Heeyeon opened the scroll calmly, opening it up to skim through it right away. "The King has already asked for my opinion on tactics against the two Kingdoms. He has drawn up his own strategy with young master Seungwon and I."

"Are you qualified?" A man chuckled.

"Do you know...as I was saying!" Heeyeon cleared her throat. Hyelin and Jeonghwa bit their lips, staying expressionless as best as they could. It only took a glare from Solji for them to pull themselves together again. Heeyeon almost slipped, ready to curse the scholar out until she met eyes with her father. She knew better. "The King proposes the idea of creating an alliance with Silla. Create a bond and ties then steal land from Baekje. We are the largest nation out of all the three Kingdoms in the end."

The court became an uproar at this proposal. While all the scholars who had no military experience cried out that it was absurd, those with experience thought it out. They were silent as they played it out in their heads. Silla is fickle. It will do anything for land and anything to lift its reputation. As if it's the most superior nation which it isn't. Silla will eventually agree and only care for itself. Forming an alliance with Silla isn't for forever, but long enough for the nation to gain stability again. The King watched as he got the reaction he wanted. Those who were qualified sided with him while those who were clueless were upset. Did they know what they were even upset about?

Your eyes were on the King the entire time. It was fascinating seeing him work the court for the first time. It looked as if he had years of experience. The task of controlling a large group of people with many varying opinions seemed frustrating. You were getting a headache from listening to certain scholars. Thankfully, the King spoke calmly every time he had something to say. His voice deep and soothing to your ears. It was nice hearing no insults aimed towards you leave his lips. He restrained the court, getting them either to understand or tolerate the plan he wanted to take. Solji handed the King his seal for him to stamp the scroll and make it official. It would take place after the journey and hopefully take two years at most. Just as the King readied his seal, laughter began to ring in the room.

"We can't be serious? No, no! Not at all!" It was the eunuch who stood in the center of the room. The angels narrowed their eyes on him. At the moment, he felt like an enemy. The King held back the urge to snarl like a wolf. "Aha, are we really going to listen to this...boy? He's been King for almost a week yet he is deciding on alliances! You might as well be signing your son's up for war!"

"Why is he here?" The King growled as he looked over at Solji.

"I—" Solji had a confused expression. She wasn't so sure either on how he slipped in. The minute her serious face vanished, the King lost his patience with the leader. He stood up from his throne as he looked over at you and Hwayoung.

"Remove him at _once_!!" His order was clear. Hwayoung and you marched over to the eunuch with stone like eyes. You couldn't care less what happened to this eunuch. He spoke carelessly about the King as if he believed he would never be harmed.

"Remove _me_? Aren't I one of your many subjects? I'm hurt, your Highness!" The eunuch chuckled dryly.

"The Queen is no longer here to ensure your safety," The King said as Hwayoung and you roughly grabbed the eunuch by his arms. He attempted to rip himself lose, assuming the two of you would be weak ladies. How wrong this fool is consistently amazes you. The eunuch cried out as Hwayoung and you held him tight enough to cut off circulation. He deserves no mercy. The King relaxed, watching the eunuch leave and returned to his work with no pressure.

This eunuch kept spitting out words. Something about he's only trying to help the King or enlighten the minds of the other scholars. He couldn't make up his mind on whose side he was truly on. Hwayoung looked at you as the two of you stood in the courtyard. To others, she was unreadable though you read her eyes perfectly. She thought the eunuch was an annoying pig. It made you want to laugh, but you had to focus. The eunuch would try escape otherwise and you highly doubted the King wanted him wandering around. He'll be scolded or possibly removed of his former position, turning into a beggar in the capital.

As you thought of reasonable punishments for the eunuch, you heard the sound of the royal court's doors open. The scholars were leaving in the opposite direction. Jeonghwa told them and the waiting servants to stay away from the courtyard at the request of the King. Hwayoung and you tossed the eunuch onto the floor, making sure he was on his knees and facing the King who slowly came down the steps. The rest of the angels came down and surrounded the eunuch, lifting up their swords in their scabbard. Hwayoung and you took steps back and proceeded to do the same. The eunuch must have been sweating as the King stared down at him cruelly.

"Again and again you disrespect me as if I am a commoner." The King's voice was low. "You never had the manners to even treat me as a Crown Prince! I am your King!"

"It is a shame that her Majesty could only give birth to you." The eunuch chuckled. The angels held tightly onto their swords, controlling their temper. The King was in disbelief that this eunuch could speak so boldly.

"You...you will never see me as King, I assume," The King said as he stepped closer to the man.

"Shall I say you assume correctly?" The eunuch sighed. "There are ways to fix that. If you truly want to be the Great King of Goguryeo, Namjoon."

"You may not call me that!!" The King reached his hand out towards Hyojin's sword. She stayed still as he unsheathed it, quick to press it against the eunuch's neck. Your brows twitched as the scene began to unfold. The Queen has slain traitors before yet you never imagined the King to do the same so soon. Does he really want to dirty his hands over this pathetic man? You wanted to look at the other angels, but all of you had your eyes glued on the two.

"And why not...Namjoon? That's your name? Is it not?" The eunuch grinned. He didn't believe that the King was capable of killing. None of the angels believed either. The King's grip on the sword was weak with how much he was trembling. Hyojin was ready to hear him say it was her job to kill the eunuch. She wouldn't mind and the rest of you wouldn't bat an eye then. But the King never said that. His grip grew stronger on the handle as he raised it high, teeth bared as he moved his arm quick.

"Worthless!" The King panted the minute the sword sliced straight through the eunuch's neck. His head fell onto the stone with the rest of his body collapsing forward.

The angels were in shock. You were too stunned to move to see blood had splattered onto the King's extravagant clothes. Red drops decorated his face as well. No one spoke or even drew a breath as the King threw the sword onto the ground. He couldn't even look at it, growing sick the longer he stared at the decapitated servant. The rest of you were unfazed by the gruesome death. It was the fact that it was _him_ who committed the action. The King no longer had a pure aura to him now that he had blood on his hands. Gulping, you were finally breaking out of your frozen state just like the others. Hwayoung and you stepped forward to handle the body when the King raised his hands.

"N-No!" He shook his head. The King couldn't stop shaking as he felt himself sweating. Somehow he felt hot and cold at the same time. Solji and Hyojin came to his side, hoping to comfort the younger King.

"They will remove the body from the palace—" Hyojin explained.

"You and Hwayoung will take care of that," The King ordered. He cleared his throat, attempting to pull himself together again. "Hyelin and Jeonghwa will clean the mess he left on my courtyard. Solji...notify the other servants that they will no longer be seeing him. As for (F/n)..." The King stood weakly, raising his eyes to meet yours. "Come along with me back to my wing."

"Yes, King!" All the angels bowed including you. Except you felt out of it yourself. He wants you to go with him? Why? The other angels began to leave with their task as you stared at the King with wide eyes. He didn't say anything, turning away immediately and leaving towards his wing. You rushed to keep up with his pace.

You couldn't even look back at Hwayoung to comfort yourself. Her and Hyojin were handling the body while you had to keep up with his Majesty. He was practically running back to his wing, ignoring all the servants. He didn't give them a second to bow to him. They stood in confusion as you passed by without giving them much attention either. His footsteps were loud and quick going up the stairs. Right away, he was shouting at all his servants to leave. He didn't want them anywhere near his wing at the moment. Frowning, you watched your King storm inside his room without even acknowledging Seungwon who waited patiently for him.

The young master peered back into the King's room before turning to you in confusion. It was clear something had happened. Not only by the King's behavior, but his appearance made it obvious. The eunuch's blood completely stained your King's jeogori. A few marks even made their way on his hwa boots. Walking up to Seungwon, the male knew that he shouldn't stay any longer. Friend to the King or not, his Highness wasn't in the right mindset. You opened your mouth to quickly explain only to get interrupted by the King.

"Angel (F/n)! I call you!" He yelled. Closing your lips, you bowed apologetically to Seungwon. You knew he would understand anyway. Going to the door, you opened it and entered inside.

"Yes, my King. I am here as you called." You stepped quietly inside the large room. Where did he go? You looked around the room with no visible expression on your face. That's odd. Continuing to step further into his room, you finally noticed his outline behind a curtain. Carefully pushing the curtain aside, you saw him staring at a wall with tears already building in his eyes. You didn't know what to say as you stood next to him like a soldier.

"What have I done...?" The King's throat felt tight, struggling to squeeze out those few words. It was impossible to breathe at the moment for him yet you were standing as if nothing had happened. "How can you be so calm?"

"..." You pressed your lips together tightly. It wasn't that you were calm, but...it was hard to explain. You were feeling a blur of emotions too.

"Speak!" He shouted. He stepped up to you, ready to grab at your shoulders and shake you violently. You froze, preparing yourself for his aggressive outburst until you saw him crumbling onto his knees. He sank down and finally wept on the ground. "I'm in disbelief...how could I have done that? W-Was I always capable of that?"

"My King..." You slowly lowered onto your own knees. It felt wrong standing on your own two feet while he could barely stand on his own. He didn't look at you, still struggling to cope with what had happened. "Don't worry about that eunuch. What he did and everything he was saying was worthy of death. You are not in the wrong."

"Was it _truly_ worthy of death?" He scoffed. He soon groaned as the memory replayed in his head, haunting him like a ghost. "I-I have blood on my hands..."

The King continued to cry, having a hard time accepting what happened. At this moment you took it upon yourself to act for the King. He wasn't giving you any orders and couldn't think straight. Getting up from the floor, you walked over to the small room the King had to the side. Unlocking the door, you stepped inside to make sure it was what you were looking for. A small bath for the King might pull him together. The servants hauled multiple buckets of water, dumping it into the hole in the ground. It wasn't the most extravagant thing but at least the King could actually clean himself compared to some people in the capital.

"W-Why'd you leave? Who gave you permission to go!?" The King cried out, growling at anything you did. Grabbing a clean rag in the room, you dipped it into the water and wrung it out a bit. You carried no emotion on your face as you walked back over to him. Tears were still running down his face as he glared at you. Sitting on your knees, you came close to him. Maybe it was sudden in his eyes, but you believed your actions were obvious. He became stiff under your touch as you used the rag to clean the few specks of blood on his face. "What are you—?" The King attempted to grab your wrist, only for your free hand to catch it without stopping your original action. "How dare you!?"

"Do you want to live in his blood?" You spoke your mind. The words came out cold as they hit the King in the gut. Instead of picking a fight with you any longer, he remained quiet to let you clean his skin. He watched you without saying a word until you were done. "Let's get you in the bath now and into new clothes. We can either have the servants clean—"

"Burn it." The King shook his head. "I don't want to be reminded."

"I'll go tell them." You were about to stand up again when he pulled you down. Catching yourself from landing roughly, you stared at the King with wide eyes. "Yes?"

"Aren't you going to remove my clothes?" He furrowed his brows. He held his arms out, waiting for you to undress him. You badly wanted to sigh from how frustrating the situation was. The King has always had servants change his clothes for him. Of course he wasn't too familiar with it! He stood up on shaky legs, waiting for you to cooperate.

"Wouldn't you rather a palace woman do it rather than me?" You blinked.

"I don't want to face any of them..." The King kept his arms up with his hands curling into fists. "Besides, you've already seen what others haven't...not even Seungwon."

"Oh." You stood up at the realization. That's why he wanted you to come with him. Out of all the angels that he had to have with him at this moment, you were the only one he trusted to see him like this?

"You don't care for the privacy you invaded. I'm sure this won't matter to you either." He held his head up, sniffling. His words brought you back into reality. For a second you genuinely believed there was potential that he liked your or even tolerated you. Maybe you shouldn't get so greedy.

Walking up to the King, you did your best to undress him. His clothes were similar to when you were dressed like a man. There were only a few couple accessories that you had to learn how to take off. You did your best to memorize it in case he wanted you to be the one to undress him again. You had stripped him down to his trousers, not thinking much of it. Folding his clothes, you set them to the side on the ground. They were going to be burned anyway. He didn't care if you treated them with care or not. All that was left to remove were his trousers. Turning to face him again, you slowly straightened your posture as your eyes traveled up the hem of his trousers up his toned chest to his eyes. You became still for a few seconds in panic.

"Well?" The King continued to wait.

"I am your shadow, my King. An angel who is meant to protect you...not undress you." You grew uncomfortable as the two of you stood in the room like this.

"But you will follow orders." He narrowed his eyes on you.

"...I-I am unmarried, your Highness. I don't think—"

"Fine! I will remove it myself." The King huffed, roughly removing his trousers. You kept your eyes above his shoulders as he struggled. There were multiple times when he was close to falling over just by taking them off. Eventually, he was bare and marched towards the bath. "Follow me, Angel (F/n)."

"Yes, my King." You caught yourself in the middle of a sigh. Sucking in your breath, you trailed behind him into the small room. He went inside the bath while you stayed on ground level. You were careful with where your eyes looked, wondering how much longer you would have to endure this atmosphere. "...How long do you want me to stay with you?"

"For as long as I tell you," The King replied quickly. He let himself sink under the water, ignoring the cold temperature. Normally the servants bathed him too, but he was too embarrassed to ask you to do more. Not that he would ever reveal that detail. You leaned against the wall, the two of you were silent as you tried not to remember the incident in the courtyard too much.


	7. Guilt

Ch.6

The meaning of what it meant to be a guardian angel to the King was getting blurred. This time it wasn't done by you. Rather than protecting the King last night from enemies, he had you stand in the small bath house with him. You didn't do anything unless it was under his instruction. The two of you stayed silent for the longest time. It wasn't until the King was shivering under the cold water that there was finally some progress. It started with you begging him to get out so he doesn't get sick and him refusing. You soon realized this was his way of punishing himself for what happened in the courtyard. It was after this that you began to talk to the King and help sort out his feelings.

He acted out of pure emotions. There seemed to be some history between this eunuch and the King. Now it took over and he really thought he would be able to handle the aftermath. He's King so he shouldn't care about killing an unloyal servant yet it bothered him. He didn't have the tough skin that a King should have when ruling over an entire nation. That came as no surprise to you seeing as he typically shut himself in his old room to read and stayed with Seungwon all the time. He's barely turned King and already killed someone? It's not something to take lightly.

The King felt like he was going mad by himself. Keeping your eyes only on his face, you admitted that killing someone was never easy. It was the first time the King listened to you without waiting to insult you. He stared at you, hoping for comfort as you recounted the first time you had to take someone's life. You were only sixteen around that time. They grabbed a criminal from the royal investigation bureau for each angel. It was something you didn't want to do until Hwayoung reminded you that it was your fate. Their fate was to die. Lying to yourself that it would be okay, you killed the criminal. They weren't a good person and it was your job yet you had trouble living with yourself for a while. Eventually the body count to your sword increased, but the number was still pretty low compared to the older angels.

You hoped that you were able to make a small connection with the King. Something to allow him to realize that these are just the times that you both live in. There's the saying that a King has no friends, but you wished to make him feel that security. You're his angel. He shouldn't worry around you. After revealing your own truth, he finally left the bath in a hurry. His body was pale and blue from how long he stayed in the water. He refused to let you heat up stones to make it tolerable in the slightest for him. You rushed to get a blanket, covering his bare form and staying with him on the floor again. It was night by the time he allowed you to go back to the angel quarters. In return, Seungwon had to come and take care of the King for the rest of the night.

He'll take care of the King well. Thankfully the angel's quarters wasn't too far. It was a short walk and you weren't sure if that was a good thing or not. A part of you wanted a long walk to think about everything that had just happened with the King. Was there going to be a chance of him treating you kindly after this? Not once did he treat you coldly after the conversation in the bath. He didn't take back any nice gestures or speak to you as if you were dirt. Still, you couldn't be too sure. Arriving at the quarter, you pushed open the door to see the rest of the angels already inside. They were getting ready for bed until you stepped in. How badly you wished they were tucked under their covers, sound asleep.

"(F/n)!" Jeonghwa dropped her hairbrush. All the angels had wide eyes to see you standing at the door. Did they not expect you to return?

"Hello..." You nervously tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. Having so much attention on you was embarrassing.

"How is the King?" Hyojin asked, sitting up on her bunk. The rest of them went silent since that was the main question on their minds. Their eyes stared at you intensely as you inched towards your own bed.

"He's doing better...upset at first, but we talked." You nodded to yourself. You just wanted to take off your armor and sleep already. Their eyes continued to pester you, wanting more than a vague answer. "He's with Seungwon now. The King is doing fine."

"What did you two talk about?" Heeyeon questioned. Sighing, you pressed your lips tightly together as you stared at them.

"That's between the King and I," You stated. You knew better than to reveal the vulnerable state the King had been. He didn't even want his servants seeing him in that type of light. The same must be for the angels yet you were the only exception. Not because he favored you, but because it wasn't anything you hadn't seen before. Your answer caused all the angels to become stiff in the room. It didn't feel right when all of you were supposed to watch over the King together.

"I see." Solji looked down at her feet. "I suppose the King will tell us whenever he's ready. Whatever it might be that the two of you discussed."

"We will wait patiently." Hwayoung climbed onto her bunk.

"We're all feeling strange today." Hyelin stretched her arms, waddling over to her bed. "We'll feel better after sleeping and I'm sure the King will be the same."

"I agree." You smiled weakly.

Slowly all the girls began to go to their own beds. Solji was the only one who didn't have a bed to bunk with anyone. While they prepared to sleep, you removed your armor as quietly as you could. That was nearly impossible with the metal clinking loudly. The material was heavy, but it wasn't anything you weren't used to. Taking it off was always the best part of your night. It made you feel light as a feather. Carefully getting into your own bed, you closed your eyes to sleep. That was proving to be harder than necessary. What Solji said was bothering you for some reason.

She claimed the King would tell them eventually. She meant nothing rude of it, but you strongly disagreed. That conversation stays between him and you. There is not a chance of the King ever speaking it to another soul. You doubt he will even bring it up to you the next day. A soft sigh left your lips as you turned over in your bed. Maybe he will stop picking on you. That doesn't mean he likes you though. He might tolerate you. Tolerate sounds good. Yawning quietly, you finally began drifting off to sleep before you knew it.

You woke up earlier than the rest of the angels. That didn't mean you were actually going to get up though. At the moment your body didn't feel like moving. They were heavy weights as you stared at nothing in the dark room. Time slowly passed with Solji being the second to wake up. The other angels followed suit since today you all had your own duties. It wasn't until the afternoon when all of you were going to have a meeting again. The King would be there with all of you then too. It was to discuss an update on the journey since the eight of you would be leaving by the end of this week. It felt so soon, but you weren't going to complain.

"Are you ready to go?" Hwayoung stared down at you. You were currently on the floor, opening up the jewelry box as quickly as you could.

"Hold on...yes!" You successfully opened it up. That's all you needed to do before leaving the quarter. You didn't want to forget and bother Heeyeon about it. Though you would rather ask her than the King. "Okay, I'm ready to go." You closed it, shoving it under the bed.

Hwayoung didn't say anything as you left the door with her. In all honesty, you don't know where your relationship with the King is. That made you incredibly nervous since you knew Hwayoung would question you about it. The King asked you to be with him yesterday rather than another angel. He chose you despite hating you. It didn't make a lot of sense and you didn't feel like explaining it much. Still though, you knew it was inevitable. Hwayoung kept glancing at you from the corner of her eye as the two of you walked over to the training yard.

The question was practically dripping from her lips already. You did your best to ignore it even though you knew. She knew you knew! Sighing to yourself, you walked faster to the training yard. That left her suspicious as she picked up the pace. The two of stood in the secluded area, grabbing wooden staffs. This time you weren't planning on fighting Hwayoung. All you were going to do was work on wielding a sword. Having large swings that require a lot of force is tiring. It also didn't help that the swords weighed so much. If you're going to protect the King on the journey, you need to be at your best. Hwayoung held her staff as she watched you.

"Does the King truly hate you as you say?" She finally questioned. You were quick to let out a groan at her words. "You said he did yet he asked you to come with him. Are you sure you're not overreacting?"

"Me? Overreacting?" You lowered your staff to scoff at her. Hwayoung raised a brow as you continued to work with the staff. "Believe me, I'm not saying this for attention. I would rather the King simply tolerate me than endure how he currently treats me."

"Any examples?" Hwayoung began to work with her own staff. The two of you were practicing steps and basic techniques.

"I already told you. He's irritated by the sight of me." You huffed. "Then he said I looked strange in my armor yesterday only to correct himself! He said it just looked better on the other angels!"

"Oh..." Hwayoung bit her lip and you could tell she was trying not to laugh.

"It's not funny!" You whined.

"I feel the King may not be friendly by nature, but he doesn't hate you." She chuckled. "Unless more happened after the incident."

"We only talked and he took a bath." You twirled your staff, looking over in her direction. "I really don't know anymore."

"The good thing is that he's going to be marrying Lady Eunchae before we know it. Hopefully the Lady can melt his heart a bit." Hwayoung shrugged as you thought about it. The King is a lonely man who only has Seungwon as a friend. Even then, Seungwon is stuck to Hwayoung. Maybe the Lady might actually help him.

"I hope so." You nodded in agreement. "I can't wait for the marriage to take place then." You giggled at Hwayoung, feeling better already.

You were going to look at things on the bright side. The King can be a cold person at times yet Hwayoung brought up a good point. You have no doubt in your mind that the King will be put in a good mood the moment he has a lady to love. Lady Eunchae is going to be your Queen and you can't wait to meet her. Maybe you will become friends with her and the King will treat you kindly because of it. You were smiling at all your little thoughts as someone came to the balcony. They came hurriedly, spotting only two angels in the training yard. One of them being exactly who he needed.

The second he stepped closer to the railing, Hwayoung and you paused in your activities. The noise would have gone unnoticed to a simple servant. Not when the two of you were trained to catch every little thing. The two of you turned your heads in the direction of the sound, dropping the staffs and reaching for your real swords. Up by the balcony was Seungwon who became stiff to see the both of you act on your instincts. The second you realized it was him, you relax and stopped reaching towards your weapon. Hwayoung did the same, smiling up at him with big eyes.

"Are you looking for me?" She cutely swayed.

"Actually no. I'm here for (F/n)," Seungwon answered honestly. He had a grin on his face that quickly vanished. He shouldn't have said it like that. Hwayoung pursed her lips, giving her lover a light glare as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "N-Not for me! The King! He wants Angel (F/n) to meet him in his chamber."

"The King?" You questioned. Hwayoung stopped giving Seungwon a hard time to look over at you. Somehow this order was making your throat dry. It wasn't the worst task in the world yet you felt anxious. Hwayoung gave you a gentle nod as you bowed to the royal advisor. You waddled as you turned away from them, taking in a deep breath.

Seungwon and Hwayoung watched you run off in the direction of the King's wing. You leaped up on walls, jumping and climbing whatever you had to. You avoided bumping into any palace women or catching the attention of others as you slipped down the roof to land in front of the King's doors. Walking up to the large doors, you were surprised to see no servants standing in front. Were they still not allowed to be near him? Pushing the doors opened, you carefully stepped inside to see the King sitting on his throne with the thin curtain dropped down.

Has he been waiting long for you? Walking over to the King, your footsteps were light as a feather. Not even your armor made a sound as you made your way over. As you came closer to him, you began to furrow your brows. He wasn't saying anything to you. Did he even see you? Though you're supposed to bow to him, you continued to walk and push the curtain aside. The King had his chin resting in the palm of his hand with his eyes closed. He looked much calmer than last night when you left him. Staring at him quietly, you couldn't help note how attractive your King is.

"I'm here, my—"

"Ah!" The King jolted up. You were in the middle of bowing when he realized you were standing so close to him. He gripped the arms of his throne, staring at you with gritted teeth. "Aish! Isn't it your job to make sure I'm safe? Not find new ways to annoy me!"

"Er...I apologize." You took a few steps away, bowing deeply to him. It looks like nothing had changed at all. He was back to insulting you as if you never comforted him yesterday. You were a fool to think there was any possibility of things being different.

"...don't be sad." The King sighed, standing up from his throne.

"Oh, I'm not sad—" You were shaking your head when he came close to you. His eyes stared intensely at you, making you feel vulnerable in front of him.

"You're frowning. Doesn't that mean you're sad or are you saying I'm wrong?" He tilted his head. His tone felt as if he were mocking you. Carefully, you met his eyes and pursed your lips. The promise you intended to keep has been broken since yesterday. It didn't even last a day. The King began to smile at you, but it looked more like a smirk.

"Did you want to talk to me about yesterday?" You asked to see him become tense. "I know it took me days to get over killing a man."

"That's not what I called you here for." He looked to the side, his eyes dark at the mention of his past actions. You were silent since you knew better than to ask him that question. You only did as a way to fight back, but it already had you feeling guilty. He's your King. "I...thank you. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"What?" You blinked at him. Those words were something you never expected the King to say. Certainly not to you out of all people. He turned to face you with cold eyes, a scowl on his face.

"Does that make you happy?" He stepped closer to you. It didn't feel right so you had to take a step back from the King only for him to grab your wrist. "You've seen the King weak. Does that make you proud?"

"...I don't understand why you believe I'm your enemy," You whispered weakly to him. He kept his eyes on you, unmoved by your words. "I don't hate you, my King. If you want to hate me then that is fine, but please don't believe that I have ill intentions towards you. All I want to do is protect you as your shadow. Last night, I wasn't rejoicing to see you like that nor was I pleased to see you hurting after your coronation." Your throat felt tight as a lump appeared. It also didn't help that your eyes were beginning to sting now. "When I spoke to you, it was not to deceive you or make you feel weak. All I wanted was to be a friend..."

"Friend?" The King loosened his grip on your wrist. He let go of you, his lips thinning as he watched your head sink down. He wasn't sure if he could actually believe the words you were saying despite you being his angel. That's your fate. Why won't he let you serve it peacefully? "Raise your head, Angel." You shook your head which managed to get his temper running hot again. "It is a command!" He growled.

"No..."

"Look at me...!" The King shouted, grabbing your chin by force. His actions were aggressive until he finally lifted your head. He was in shock to see tears running down your face. Even with him able to see you crying, you couldn't stop. Your whimpers grew louder, but you kept your eyes down on the floor. He slowly began to release your chin as he struggled to grasp the situation. He silent watched you cry until you wiped your face. "(F/n)..."

"I am s-sorry, my King, but please ask Hwayoung if you need a shadow or the others to look after you." You took in a breath as you turned away from him. It wasn't right of you to walk away from him, but you couldn't take it anymore. Breaking down into tears in front of him was embarrassing enough. You'd rather have him kill you like the eunuch than for him to treat you like an enemy. You're his loyal angel. Why can't he understand that?

"Angel (F/n)! Yeon (F/n)!" The King called after you.

He received no response from you as you left his wing. Pushing open the doors, you ran all the way back to the angel's quarters. None of the other girls would be there. You would be safe to hide there until the meeting in the afternoon. By then you'll be able to swallow your feelings and stand near the King again. For now, you wanted to time to yourself. Was it pathetic of you to sob so much? You're supposed to be trained to ignore emotions and here you were. Entering the small hut, you rushed over to your bed to curl up into a ball. It felt uncomfortable with your armor but there was no point in taking it off. You stayed there for hours until your eyes were puffy. The others were definitely going to ask why you looked like you had been crying. What excuse should you make up?

In the middle of thinking up ideas, there was a knock at the door. Your brows furrowed to hear someone knocking. Who would be doing that? Sitting up, you looked out the small window to see the sun had risen higher into the sky. It was the afternoon. D*mn it. Sniffling, you prepared yourself to speak to one of your unnies. They must have been told by the King that you left. Were they going to scold you for abandoning the King? Your heart was sinking as you walked over to the door. Opening it up, you immediately met eyes with the man himself. He was silent and you couldn't believe he was actually in front of the angel's quarters. You didn't think he knew where this place even was.

Looking away from him, you saw Hwayoung standing behind him. That's how he found this place. She had no expression on her face. She didn't speak, but you knew she could tell you had been crying. You bowed to the King, keeping your eyes glued to the floor. He didn't say anything as you walked to stand next to Hwayoung. You were ready to follow them to the meeting. A sigh left his lips as he nodded, the three of you walking in the direction of the royal courtroom. He walked in front of the two of you and you could feel the tension. Hwayoung sensed it as well, repeatedly looking over at you in worry. It wasn't like you to look so defeated.

Even with Hwayoung not being the talkative type, she did all the talking. The King asked a few questions only for her to respond. Was he trying to get you to speak? Your lips were tightly sealed as all of you arrived at the courtroom. Hwayoung and you opened the doors, allowing the King to enter easily. The other angels were already standing in their lines while Solji stood in the middle. They bowed at the King as Hwayoung and you got in your line. You just hoped this meeting about the journey goes quick. How much was there left to discuss?

"Thank you for coming, your Highness." Solji raised her head.

"Yes, well...what is this meeting about?" The King looked over his shoulder to stare at you. You had your eyes stuck to the ground, unaware of his constant stares. He frowned as he faced Solji again.

"We have prepared all the gifts for Lady Eunchae and your samchon as well," Solji stated. "They are all packed yet we are still waiting on a few gifts from the merchant. Tomorrow I'm sending a few angels to check the progress. Then by the end of the week, we'll receive the last few touches and begin our journey."

"It's good that we're moving quickly." The King sighed.

"The strongest horses were selected to help on our journey," Hyojin said.

"I will be in charge of carrying the map," Heeyeon added.

"That's all excellent...is that all?" The King faced Solji again, the woman giving him a small smile.

"We have to discuss how you're going to ask for Lady Eunchae's hand in marriage. Have you planned anything?" Solji questioned.

"P-Planned?" The King blinked, shifting awkwardly on his feet. He wanted to gulp at the question. He hasn't thought much of the Lady. He only assumed that he would give gifts and she would be ready to come back with him.

"Don't tell me you thought the gifts would do all the work?" Jeonghwa teased playfully. Right away, Hwayoung nudged the girl to make her stop. She shouldn't be speaking like that to the King. She cleared her throat, embarrassed as she changed her expression to match the other angels.

"Weren't they?" The King's brows furrowed together. He didn't mind the teasing. What made him feel worse was this sudden 'plan' to get Lady Eunchae to marry him. How come no one told him about this?

"You should still charm our future Queen, your Majesty!" Hyelin bowed her head.

"I agree. It's in our nation's best interest." Solji nodded calmly. The rest of the angels were silently agreeing. The King felt his throat become dry to have this responsibility thrown on him. He didn't think he would have to put so much effort before marriage. They were only marrying for the nation anyway. Despite feeling frustrated, he reminded himself that this was for his mother. Everything was for the sake of Goguryeo. He couldn't focus solely on himself right now.

"What do you think I should do?" The King asked, turning to face the angels who had been quiet. He stared at his shadows, nervous for any kind of response. You refused to move while Hwayoung carefully raised her head towards the King. She knew he wasn't asking her, but the tension was becoming painful to be in between.

"...have a conversation with her. Go on a walk and talk with her." Hwayoung suggested. "Get to know her as a person rather than the future Queen."

"That does sound like an idea." The King pursed his lips. He couldn't understand why his eyes wouldn't leave you. It took some convincing just to make him look back at Solji. How dare you make him feel so guilty? He hated it. "Is there anything else I should know of?"

The meeting dragged on longer than the King wanted. Unlike you, he had to pay attention and speak. You took advantage of your silent position by blocking out the meeting entirely. They must have been speaking about important things, but Hwayoung would fill you in later. Besides you practically knew everything they were discussing already. When it was finally over, Solji walked out with Hyojin and Heeyeon. Hyelin grabbed onto Jeonghwa, the two barely holding in giggles as they walked out the door. The King was left with his shadows now that it was turning into the evening. You hoped to just leave him in his wing and return to the angel quarter's. Nothing more.

"Angel Hwayoung, Angel (F/n)..." The King had some hesitance in his voice. He wasn't sure if he was able to say your name. He watched you to see if you had any reaction yet you did nothing. You were like stone to his dismay. "Drop me off at my wing and then the two of you are free to go."

The two of you bowed, turning to open the doors for the King. He walked out with an uncomfortable face. He had learned to accept the royal treatment. He was no longer the Crown Prince, but the King. He had finally accepted his fate but there were still some things that left him bitter. The title created such a gap between him and his people. He couldn't even have friends when he was younger. Seungwon was his only friend, but the advisor often had to pretend they had no close connection when his mother was still alive. Even though Hwayoung and you were the same age as him, the two of you were scolded strictly any time you guys tried to play with the King. Like the King accepted his fate, you accepted yours once and for all. He put you in your place like you deserved.

The walk over to his wing was dead quiet. He knew this was how things were technically supposed to be, but it irked him. He remembered seeing his father with his shadow and the other angels. They would walk and there was no speaking. The angels appeared like empty people standing next to his father. The King wanted to huff, seeing the way Hwayoung and you were behaving. There was nothing he could do about Hwayoung, but he knew you weren't like this. The male was chewing on his lip when he noticed Seungwon standing in front of the doors to his wing.

"Seungwon!" The King rushed up the steps. He was exactly who the King needed to see. Seungwon always gave him the best advice and took care of him well. "I need to speak with you!"

"Good evening, your Grace." Seungwon bowed with a smile on his face. Hwayoung and you made it to the top of the steps to catch up with the King. Seungwon glanced back at you two, noting how odd you were behaving. It took him less than a second to spot that. His eyes connected with Hwayoung, seeing that she was familiar with the tension as well. Seungwon faced the King again, opening the door for him. "Do you want to speak privately?"

"That would be better...um..." The King couldn't stop himself from looking at his shadows. He tried so hard to stare at both of them but kept finding himself with his eyes on you. "(F/n), do you want to stay to talk at all? W-We can go on a walk—"

"Thank you for the offer, my King, but I don't want to stop you from discussing matters with the young master." You bowed. "I will be off."

"We will see you tomorrow." Hwayoung bowed, giving Seungwon one last glance. She'll comfort you while he has to handle the King.

Hwayoung chased after you with no plan on asking what occurred between the King and you. She knew enough to sense how sensitive you were. If she can convince you just a little that the King doesn't hate you, she will try. That left Seungwon staring at the King with his arms crossed. He was leaning against the door to keep it open for his Majesty. He waited patiently with no strong expression on his face. A heavy sigh left the King, walking into his wing. There was a lot to talk about. Just as Seungwon closed the door, he began to be more honest with his thoughts on the situation.

"Now that we're in private...may I ask what you did to (F/n)?" Seungwon raised a brow. Namjoon groaned, facing his friend who scoffed. "Namjoon, what did you do?"

"Isn't it just pleasant that once we're behind doors you begin to scold me and call me by my name?" Namjoon dropped his body onto his throne. "And how do you even know if it was my fault?" Namjoon pressed a hand to his chest. Seungwon remained unimpressed, knowing the King and the angel very well enough to know he was right. "Fine! I messed up!"

"I await the details." Seungwon chuckled, walking closer to the throne. He was ready to hear the story time the King had for him. He knew Namjoon had to have embarrassed himself in some sort of way. No matter what, Seungwon knew you were innocent.

"You know how I struggle to talk to others," Namjoon started. Seungwon patiently nodded his head at the younger. "You're the only person I've allowed myself to become close to. Others have impure intentions and I refused to acknowledge them in order to protect myself. It normally has gone well but this time..."

"Did you believe (F/n) was one of those old scholars and officers?" Seungwon had trouble keeping his mouth closed. "Those old men only treated you kindly in order for you to favor them, give them land, or whatever the hell they wanted when you became King. Why would (F/n) be like them?"

"When you say it out loud—"

"Namjoon! (F/n) wouldn't even know what to do with land!" Seungwon pointed out. Namjoon felt himself shrink in his robes as he was scolded. He felt like a child, hiding himself in his long hair. "Did she do something to make you suspicious? I don't understand. She is a sweet and positive girl and it is taking a lot out of me not to yell at you."

"You already are!" Namjoon growled.

"Yelling involves raising my voice which I _haven't_ ," Seungwon clarified. Namjoon shook his head, sighing heavily at his friend. He hated that Seungwon was right, but there wasn't much he could do about it. Seungwon was the only person allowed to treat the King like this. The last thing Namjoon would want to do is take that away from his friend for the sake of his pride. Having Seungwon kept him in check.

"She...she saw me cry! Okay? The first time, she wanted to stay by my side and wipe my face but that was personal. I wanted to be left alone!" Namjoon grabbed two handfuls of hair, crossing his long locks across his face. The sight almost made Seungwon laugh to see his awkward friend struggling to be honest. "The second time...she comforted me and spoke to me as if I weren't King. She raised her voice at me and forced me in the bath! She refused to take off my trousers despite it being her idea and—"

"Namjoon, what?" Seungwon had to stop the male. "(F/n) is an angel and you made her undress you? I thought you had manners, the poor girl."

"Seungwon—"

"I'm not finished." Seungwon sighed softly. "(F/n)...was trying to comfort you since she saw you in distress and you thought...she wanted something from you in return? Is that it?"

"W-Well, it's reasonable. I haven't properly spoken to her in years." Namjoon shrugged. Seungwon's gaze on the King didn't change. "And I know I told the angels to keep a distance! Maybe I have some slight trust issues, but I think it comes in handy—"

"It's harming you where it counts." Seungwon kept his eyes on the King. Namjoon felt guilty all over again, letting his head hang low. "Now tell me exactly what occurred between (F/n) and you when you had me call her."

Namjoon wished he hadn't asked that question, but that's how it all started. The King pouted as he recounted the event to every detail. He remembered all the words the two of you exchanged. How exactly it made him feel the moment he saw you crying. Was he the one responsible for that? For a tough guardian angel, he didn't expect to see you cry at any time. The memorial procession was one occasion, but this was different. He felt guilty and it was driving him mad. Seungwon nodded his head as he listened to the King, Namjoon attempting to pull his hair out from the situation.

"I can't believe you made a girl cry..." Seungwon didn't like the taste in his mouth. Namjoon stared at his friend for help already. "It's a horrible feeling."

"You've done it?" Namjoon raised a brow.

"When Hwayoung and I were first starting our relationship. I was a bit of an idiot around her, but I've matured." Seungwon winced at the memories.

"What did you do? To fix your mistake?" Namjoon was sitting on the edge of his throne, desperate for the answer. Seungwon rubbed his chin before meeting Namjoon's eyes.

"Since she doesn't want to speak with you, you'll have to do it through actions. I think a gift might fix things a bit," Seungwon stated to see Namjoon's eyes twinkle.

"A gift? A gift!" Namjoon bounced in his seat. He soon jumped onto his feet, excited as he grabbed Seungwon's shoulders. "That's it Seungwon! I need to give her a gift! You're a genius!"

"Thank you." Seungwon chuckled. "So what do you plan on giving the miss?"

"I...uh..." Namjoon tensed up. He hadn't thought that far in all honesty. He was just happy to have an answer of some kind. Seungwon wanted to groan at his friend who was quite lacking in the emotional department. Everything was done by servants so Namjoon assumed he could give you whatever little gift to make you happy.

"You! You have to make sure this gift is personal to her! It can't be something that others can get." Seungwon jabbed the man's chest. Namjoon pursed his lips in thoughts. What the hell was he supposed to get you? He's never given anyone a gift before. He brought his hand up to his head nervously when he felt his bun that was tightly secured by a gold pin. That's when it clicked in his head.

"Oh! Oh!" Namjoon repeatedly tapped Seungwon. He knew exactly what to get you in this moment. Seungwon stared at the King curiously, waiting for him to just say it. "I know! Where did you get that hairpin done for Hwayoung?"


	8. Forgive & Forget

Ch.7

Yesterday had to be one of the worst days ever. And you've had to wear blood drenched clothes for days before. You're just glad that Hwayoung never asked you about it last night. All she did was talk about other things without expecting you to respond. It was her way of comforting you to let you know she knew something was wrong, but to give you some space. The gesture from Hwayoung was greatly appreciated. At least you could go to sleep in the angel's quarters knowing that one person had your back no matter what. You loved the other angels too, but they weren't on the same level as your fellow shadow. She was like a piece of you.

The others weren't aware that you were feeling a little down. You were being quieter than usual which Hyojin spotted. She didn't say anything and instead tried to lift up the mood. That immediately had the other girls becoming hyper towards the night. Hyojin willing to play around? Jeonghwa was already taking the opportunity to help brighten the mood. Hyelin and Heeyeon quickly joined on acting silly, pulling Solji out of bed to suddenly have a small party. Most of them didn't know how much it meant to you. Though your laughter was soft and your smile small, it was exactly what you needed.

Things between the King and you may not be well, but you're prepared to deal with him this time. This time you mean it. No more messing around. You'll act like you were trained to behave and hopefully the King will take the hint. He'll stop requesting your presence alone just to mock you. You don't have time for that anymore. Either you stand by his side silently or kill an enemy for him. In the morning, you woke up the same time Solji did. She was surprised you didn't take a couple minutes. She was happy to see you be determined though and didn't mind the company.

By the time you had your armor on, Hwayoung finally woke up too. She stirred on the top bunk before noticing you fully dressed. The sight of you ready to go made the girl panic. Did she wake up late? She sat up instantly only to hit her head on the ceiling. You covered your mouth while Hyojin and Heeyeon laughed. Those two were also on the top bunk, laughing loudly while Hwayoung groaned at them to shut up. Unfortunately Hwayoung's morning wasn't as pleasant as yours. She was embarrassed and hurried to put on her armor, ignoring the teasing she received from the unnies. You patted her back since you knew she would be fine. The both of you would be, but maybe you spoke too soon.

"(F/n)!" Seungwon was running over to the two of you. Hwayoung pursed her lips, looking at you to see that you weren't happy. This only meant one thing. "I think you know who is calling you."

"Not even a good morning first?" Hwayoung asked. Right away, you're called to meet the King and you weren't happy. Seungwon whistled a familiar tune as Hwayoung finished the little song.

"Can't Hwayoung go to him?" Your voice was below a whisper. Seungwon stared at you sympathetically and you already knew the answer from that look alone. "Why me?"

"He said it was a private matter." Seungwon lied. He knew exactly what was going on, but the King told him not to say anything. It was best not to drag others into the King's mess.

"Okay, thank you..." You bowed to the young master. Leaving him with Hwayoung, you made your way to the King's wing. This time you weren't spending much effort trying to get there as fast as you could. You waddled unwillingly without all the climbing and running business. He can wait. No, stop that. You shook your head, reminding yourself that this is your job. You picked up the pace to arrive at the King's wing. This wasn't exactly how you had hoped your morning to go but it was fine. It was nothing you couldn't tolerate.

There was a heavy feeling hovering over your chest. Though you really didn't want to see the King, you had no choice. You attempted to ignore the pressure building up on your chest. He's probably only going to say a few things to you and then he'll let you go. He can't keep you stuck to him for the entire day. You're already on the job to go to the market with Hyojin and Solji today. That's a task you've already signed to be a part of. Grabbing the door handle, you sighed as you noted there were no servants near his wing again. He shouldn't keep them from doing their job forever. You walked inside to see the King pacing around, holding something in his hand.

"My King, I have arrived at your request." You bowed to him. The second he heard your voice, the King paused everything he was doing. He turned to look at you with wide eyes. Almost as if he couldn't believe you were actually there. He fumbled with whatever was in his hands before hiding it behind his back. You blinked at him, choosing not to think much of it.

"(F/n)! You come in so quietly!" The King grinned tightly at you.

"I apologize."

"No, don't be sorry! That's not bad!" The King shook his head profusely. He kept fidgeting in front of you that it was becoming weird. He's never acted this strange in the past. You stayed quiet as he slowly brought his hands out of hiding. The King carefully revealed a beautiful hairpin in the palm of his hands. A small golden bird was on the hairpin, reminding you of your family emblem. Why would the King have something like this? His emblem was a dragon and even if he were to own a hairpin, it wouldn't look like this one. He stepped closer to you as he held it in your direction. Was he giving it to you? Your mouth began to gape open as you raised your head up to him. "I had this made specifically for you. I know your family emblem is of a dove so I thought you would like this..."

"Why?" You brought your hands close to your chest. You didn't dare reach out for the piece of jewelry. It looked incredibly expensive. Nothing you owned must cost as much as this pin.

"I-I, well, you know..." The King stammered before he took in a deep breath. He cleared his throat, finally looking you in the eyes rather than staring at the pin. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior towards you. I shouldn't have treated you like that when you're my angel. You're only ever looking out for me and I feel awful that I twisted your intentions."

"...you don't have to apologize to someone like me. You're the King," You stated to see his frown deepen.

"Even if I were a beggar, there is no reason why I should have ever been so cold to someone who only holds the best interests for me." The King shook his head. "I want you to have this hairpin even if you don't forgive me."

"Do you really want me to have it?" You glanced down at the pin.

"Who else could it be for?" The King grabbed your wrist gently, placing it in your hand. You expected him to let you go right away. When he didn't, you blushed in embarrassment. You couldn't understand why he was going this far to apologize. "This was made for you and only you. No one else is allowed to wear it."

"Thank you, my King." You held the pin as you looked up at him. He smiled at you, his dimples appearing in his cheeks.

"And I better see you wear it." He let go of your wrist as you began to untie your hair. He swallowed as your small bun unraveled. All you had was an old ribbon that you've been using for years. Now you had this beautiful gift from the King himself? It didn't feel real. You pulled your hair back up, eventually using the hairpin. And with that, your hair was set and you couldn't help the giggle that left your lips. "You said you didn't own much. Not even jewelry for your jewelry box, but now you do."

"I love it." You bowed to the King. He hadn't stop smiling at you, making you feel butterflies. The King had a different aura when he actually smiled.

"It looks beautiful on you," The King said. You stared at him in surprise, unable to say anything. He seemed to be shocked by his own words as well.

"You're flattering me too much...it's okay. I forgive you, my King." You clasped your hands together. That caused him to sigh in relief, grateful that you accepted his gift and apology. You were greatly touched by the fact that he made the gift personal to you. Though you were hurt, you figured you would accept the King's apology in order to heal. It's not like you wanted to hold a grudge against him in any world. "Actually your Highness, I'm going to be going to the market today with a few angels. Is there anything you would like?"

"Anything I would like?" The King repeated.

"A gift I could give you in return by any chance." You nodded your head. The King tilted his head before he declined instantly.

"No, no. You don't have to give me anything in return." He insisted, confused on why you would want to give him anything. You pouted softly at him but chose to listen to him. At least you would make him think you were taking that as his final answer. You were planning on getting him something no matter what. It felt wrong getting such an extravagant gift from the King even if he had a reason for doing so. You would feel better getting him at least something.

"If you insist, my King." You bowed again. "Thank you for the gift."

The King nodded as if it were nothing. He had enough money to buy every servant a gift if he wanted and it wouldn't have to mean a thing. Then here the King is, looking away from you in attempts to hide his embarrassed blush. The two of you were feeling a bit strange from this interaction. Still, you would never forget this. It was the first time anyone in your life ever gave you a gift. It also meant so much more that it came from the King himself. The fact that he personally gave it to you instead of a servant or Seungwon said a lot. He also didn't say his apology through a scroll. You knew the King you were born to protect is a good man.

Spending time with the King no longer felt like you were walking on hot stones. It was comfortable around him for once. He didn't do much as you waited to be called for the market task. The King mainly had you stand next to him as he went around his room doing little things. He had Seungwon called to get the other palace women back at their old posts again. Things were returning to normal. That made you so happy for the King. For the last remaining time you were with his Highness, he sealed off on a few things that Seungwon brought to his attention or threw away ideas. Hwayoung was announced by the palace women at the time you were called to leave for the market.

The switch was done quickly as you left the King in Hwayoung's care. You didn't want to keep Hyojin and Solji waiting. Those two were already by the palace gates for who knows how long. They sat on their horses patiently as you finally made it. Panting heavily, you got up on your horse and let them know you were ready to go. A small pouch hung on your belt that contained some money. You always did, but you never bought anything. Now saving up for no reason is going to come in handy! You have to get the King something amazing! Hyojin and Solji calmly rode their horses alongside you when the eldest noticed the new accessory in your hair.

"Where did you get that? It looks so beautiful!" Solji gasped. She stared at you with wide eyes. "Did your Abeoji get it made it for you?"

"What made?" Hyojin added herself into the conversation. She leaned down to see what exactly Solji was talking about. Right away her eyes landed on the small yellow bird sparkling in your hair. "Wah! That looks expensive!"

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" You raised your right hand to touch it while your left held tightly to the reins.

"That makes me want to get a hairpin with my own family emblem." Hyojin pouted softly.

"A green dragonfly in your hair?" Solji chuckled.

"I can scare Jeonghwa with it!" Hyojin grinned, knowing bugs were Jeonghwa's biggest weakness. It was the best way to get pay back for all the times the maknae annoys in her in the morning. Solji shook her head lightly, smiling at Hyojin's nonsense.

The ride over to Seokjin's market was a lot calmer than when you went with Heeyeon and Hyelin. You enjoyed both trips in their own ways. You had to admit though that this one was more exciting because you planned on buying a gift. It was also really nice for Solji to notice the present the King gave you. They thought it was pretty too and you're actually quite grateful that Solji didn't push the question on who gave it you. Having them assume it was your father was the easiest answer to go with even though your father could never afford something like this. He also wouldn't buy you a gift in the first place if you're being honest. That's why this hairpin means the world to you.

The three of you arrived at the front of the capital market. Climbing off your horse, you left your big guy tied to a tree. The other angels never named their horses. The older angels have been through multiple horses in the past. All of you have been trained to not get so attached to most things. The only thing you guys should love is the King with some exceptions like your parents. Your father is cold and your mother is okay. This horse at least always looks happy to see you compared to them. That's why you secretly named him 'Happy'! It's a cute name! One time you were close to revealing it to Hwayoung, but Solji made it clear that no one was allowed to name their horses. That was a close one.

"(F/n)! Are you staying with the horses or with us?" Hyojin shouted as Solji entered the market. You snapped out of your thoughts, no longer petting Happy.

"Oh! I'm coming with you guys!" You yelled before looking back at your horse. "Bye, Happy!"

The horses neighed as you left them to enter the market. You skipped towards the entrance before walking seriously like a palace guard the moment you stepped in through the doors. The sight would have been funny to others. Unlike the other times you've left the palace, you were wearing your armor like Hyojin and Solji. It wasn't necessarily any better than not wearing men's clothes in public. You caught up with the two eldest who were already standing in front of Seokjin's main stand. He smiled at the ladies, still handsome as ever. He was holding a scroll in his hands as he went through the list of items that you guys were waiting to receive.

A majority of them had been crossed off. They were packaged neatly, ready to endure the long travel to Lady Eunchae. You were hardly listening as they spoke business. This type of stuff was never your thing, but you liked leaving the palace and exploring. Though you did try to make an effort to stay with them for a bit. Hyojin had an intimidating face for Seokjin to keep the prices fair. He was a skilled merchant, unafraid of the angel who had a long sword attached to her waist. Then there was Solji who wanted to talk out every detail and make sure everything was set according to schedule.

Listening to the boring stuff was fun and all, but you left them to wander around the market on your own. There had to be at least something here that was a worthy enough present for the King. Strolling past the booths, you ignored all the food ones despite how tempting their smell was. Focus! You have to get him something meaningful. Biting your lip, you stared at jewelry from one stand, but it was all too expensive. Then there was a stand selling clothes for men, but you knew the King owned finer robes. This was so hard. What could you get a man who practically had everything? Puffing out your cheeks in frustration, you were about to kick the ground when a small child appeared in front of you.

Tilting your head at him in confusion, you released the air in your cheeks. Something felt strange about his sudden appearance. The boy was holding a huge sack on his back as he stared at you with big eyes. He didn't look like a beggar or a low commoner. He must be the son to someone here if he's here to begin with. The young boy had brown hair and the cutest little face. His chocolate eyes were making you melt. Was this a trap? Were you about to get robbed? You hesitantly took a step back as he reached out towards you, holding up the sack.

"Miss! This is what you're looking for!" The child spoke.

"What?" You had no idea what he was talking about. You've never seen that old bag in your entire life nor did you know any of the contents it contained. "That's not mine..."

"No! What's inside is the present for the man you're thinking about." He smiled. Your eyes almost grew twice their size at his words. How does he know you're looking for a present and for a man at that?

"How did...?" You bent down to take a peek inside the sack. The little boy couldn't stop jumping around, glad to see that you were actually listening to him.

"Five silvers please!" The boy held his hand out. Pursing your lips, you untied your pouch and gave him the money he asked for. A sigh left your lips as you looked inside the bag.

"A bag of pears..." You raised your head to see the boy had completely disappeared. Where did he go!? Grabbing the sack, you stood up in alarm. You're used to traveling silently yet that kid did it as if he were a ghost! Strange. This entire market is unsettling if you were being honest. First the jewelry box and now this bag of pears from a random kid. Pears? Why would he give you this? Things weren't making sense and you were certain you lost money from a scam until you took a step forward. Wait.

Pears?

*~*

_The Crown Prince had injured himself by accident. You weren't there to see it, but Heeyeon told you that he stepped incorrectly while going down the stairs. Solji had warned him not to run down the narrow steps considering how long his outer coat was. The clothes he wore were still a bit too big, but he would be growing into them soon. Though now the King fell despite Solji's warning. He cried and Hyojin wasn't able to catch him on time. You wondered where the two eldest angels had gone off to. Heeyeon didn't say much as she only told you that the Queen wanted to have a talk with them. It's only been a month since the King had passed away so things were still sensitive._

_Heeyeon had just come back from a trip to the market with Hyelin. You were excited to see them since Hwayoung ditched you. The two of you were playing a hide and seek, but she completely vanished! It didn't take a genius to realize that she had run off with that boy she likes! She's always following him around and then you're certain that boy likes her back. It's kind of weird. You didn't see the appeal of boys, but you had to admit you were jealous anyway. As a way to protest against Hwayoung's romance, you stood in the courtyard doing absolutely nothing. Jeonghwa was bouncing around in front of you the moment those two angels returned from the market._

_"Unnie!" Jeonghwa gasped. She hurried to Heeyeon who was carrying a large bag. What's in it? Your brows furrowed together, forgetting about your 'protest'. You ran over to them as Hyelin took the bag from Heeyeon._

_"What's in it? What did you buy?" You stared at her with wide eyes. "Can I see? Please?"_

_"Nothing exciting." Hyelin smiled, opening it to show you a bunch of pears. She was right. Not exciting at all._

_"Have you seen the Crown Prince at all, (F/n)?" Heeyeon knitted her brows together at you._

_"Me? No..." You softly shook your head. Jeonghwa grabbed a pear, quietly eating it. Heeyeon let out a heavy sigh from your response. Did you say something wrong?_

_"I told you to keep an eye on him! Who is watching him right now?" Heeyeon frowned. It didn't take much to make you feel guilty. She told you what happened to the Crown Prince and that she would be back soon. Heeyeon grabbed two pears, placing them in your hands. "Here. Take one to the Crown Prince and watch him until another angel comes by."_

_"Yes!" You bowed, holding the pears close to your chest. You turned away from them to run in the direction that the Crown Prince would most likely be at. He wouldn't be at the pond since that seemed to be Hwayoung and Seungwon's spot. You doubt he would be in his room so you decided to follow your heart. You're his shadow. Like fate wanted, you found the Crown Prince at the very edge of his palace. He sat in the corner between the palace walls with tears down his cheeks. The Crown Prince always seems to be crying these days. It hurt you a lot to see him like that. How could you make him feel better? Your eyes looked back down at the fruits you were carrying. Hopefully food can get the Crown Prince in a better mood. You walked up to the Crown Prince, holding out a pear to him. "Take this."_

_"Huh?" He jumped, completely startled by your voice. His eyes were filled with tears that he had to blink away before he saw you properly. "Oh, (F/n)...and a pear."_

_"Don't cry anymore, Namjoon." You smiled before freezing. No, you said his first name! You winced, feeling terrified but the Crown Prince actually smiled. He took the pear from your hand and took a bite. "I didn't mean—"_

_"Please call me by my name," He mumbled. "Thank you for the pear." He smiled at you with dimples appearing on his cheeks. You don't know why, but something inside you fluttered. Weird. You ignored it as he wiped the tears away. "Sit with me."_

_"Okay!" You giggled, sitting close to him. The two of you ate your fruit together. While the Crown Prince silently ate his, you couldn't stop talking. It wasn't about anything in particular. It was all over the place. You were just a super talkative child and luckily he didn't mind that. He let himself lean against the palace wall to listen to everything you had to say. "Oh! But have you seen young master Seungwon and Hwayoung?"_

_"Seungwon says he likes her."_

_"Hwayoung says she likes him," You said to see the Crown Prince laugh. He shook his head before sighing._

_"He's an idiot." Namjoon took a large bite of his pear. His cheeks were stuffed as he finished the last piece._

_"I don't get it either." You shrugged before standing up. You had finished your pear so you were planning on throwing it over the palace walls. They were tall, but you knew you were able to do it. You just didn't know that simple action would get Namjoon to scramble nervously onto his feet as if you were leaving him._

_"D-Don't go!" Namjoon pleaded, almost ready to grab your wrist._

_"What? I don't plan on leaving." You held up the core of your pear. Namjoon blinked at it curiously as you smirked. "I'm going to throw it over the palace wall. Want to see?"_

_"Throw? How could you possibly throw it over!" Namjoon frowned in disbelief. He carefully stepped next to you, his ankle still looking a bit swollen. Hopefully Solji finishes her meeting with the Queen soon so she can check on the Crown Prince._

_"Watch." You held the core tightly as you planted your feet into the ground. Though you were small, you were stronger than you looked. Muscles tightened as you pulled your arm back before you released the tension with a snap. The energy caused the pear core to fly over the palace wall easily. The smirk on your face widened as you faced Namjoon again. His mouth was open, confused on how you were actually able to pull it off. "See?"_

_"I-I...that's not fair." Namjoon pouted as he looked at his own pear core._

_"Give it a shot! I'm sure you can do it, Namjoon!" You cheered happily. Namjoon weakly smiled at you as he pulled his arm back. Silently, you were noting everything that he was doing wrong. His throw would be weak, but you didn't say anything. He threw it as hard as he could only for the pear to bounce against the wall and fall onto the ground. Namjoon groaned in frustration until he heard soft cries._

_It happened so quickly that you didn't know what was going on. Someone grabbed a handful of your hair, pulling you away from the Crown Prince. They continued to tug and pull, making sure you were in some sort of pain. It didn't take long for you to figure out who it was. Whimpering, you kept your head down and your eyes closed. That didn't work in your favor as they aggressively yanked your hair up to face them. Tears were brimming in your eyes to see your father growling lowly at you. Your cries for him to stop made him angry and when you were silent, you got the same response from him. Namjoon was staring wide eyed at your father who refused to let you go._

_"How dare you refer to the Crown Prince by his name? Who do you think you are!?" Father pushed your body onto the ground. "Angel or not, you have_ no _right!"_

_"A-Actually—" Namjoon's voice was weak. He became stiff the second a sword came into the picture. Thankfully it didn't belong to your father. The Crown Prince couldn't speak at all as you swallowed hard. Hesitantly raising your head, you saw your mother holding her covered sword in front of your body to protect you from your father._

_"I am the one responsible in training her how to act around the Crown Prince. It is not you," She spoke bitterly. Your father grumbled, the two fighting in front of both kids. The Crown Prince was shaking while you remained on the floor, crying quietly. The fight ended with father being sent away while mother was going to take you aside. She whistled, an angel randomly jumping down from the palace wall. They rolled on the ground before standing up to give your mother a nod. She was Jeonghwa's mother and she would watch the Crown Prince for you._

_It was hard trying to pull yourself together. Though you had to admit that you were happy you weren't with your father at the moment. He could get incredibly aggressive with you. It was to a point that mother grew to despise him and father didn't care. He was still upset that you had to be an angel. That didn't justify the bruises he left on you. Sniffling, you walked alongside your mother who carried no emotion in her face. There was no warm touch of comfort from her like you had hoped. Eventually she stopped walking to stare down at you._

_"No more tears, (F/n). Angels can't cry so easily." She waited until you quickly wiped them away. "Angels should hardly cry at all. There are only a few exceptions."_

_"W-What are those?" You asked._

_"No stuttering." Her eyes narrowed on you. Biting your lip, you nodded intently. "Those exceptions are something you will figure out on your own."_

_"I see..." That made no sense. Why didn't she have an answer for you? Staring at her blankly, you did your best to keep eye contact with her. Mother's gaze was always so strong._

_"I have no King to serve anymore, (F/n). I have lost my purpose and it won't be long before I move out of the capital to a nearby village with your Abeoji. Especially with what happened with Hyojin's Eomeoni..." Mother gritted her teeth. She sucked in a breath, glancing away from you for a second. That's when it clicked in your head. The King's death and his shadow. Those were exceptions, right? Mother looked you straight in the eyes as she bent down to grab you by the shoulders. "You are the future King's shadow, (F/n). He is your life and without him you_ die. _You must never let yourself die on the battlefield nor ever let anyone touch your King. The King's death will be worse than your own."_

*~*

Your throat felt dry as you stared at the pears. Immediately, you had to clear your throat from the unwanted memories. It was mainly the ending part that your mind couldn't help wandering towards. Those words still lingered in your head from time to time. Forget about that right now. Holding up the sack of pears, you sighed to yourself. Hopefully these will do for the King. You appreciated the jewelry box that mysteriously appeared in front of you from this place. This should do just fine. Maybe it was fate? You couldn't help, but giggle at your thoughts.

There was something about this market that was strange. That jewelry box and now these pears. You figured it wouldn't hurt to trust what fate had in store. Holding it close to your chest, you decided to walk back over to the other angels. They must be finishing up with Seokjin already. A smile appeared on your lips, unable to control your own excitement. You hope the King enjoys his gift! There are enough pears to be brought on the trip to Lady Eunchae. As you turned the corner, you noticed something strange. Hyojin and Solji were wrapping things up with Seokjin, but that little boy was standing behind the counter. He was silent until he saw you staring at him.

"Um, excuse me..." You walked up to the counter. Hyojin and Solji paused their conversation to look at you. Even Seokjin glanced over to you, ready to assist if he could. "That little boy right there—"

"Boy?" Seokjin furrowed his brows as he turned around. He looked to where your finger was pointing to see the small boy smiling up at him. "Oh! Jungkookie!"

"Appa!" The boy held his arms up. Right away, Seokjin scooped up the child in his arms before facing the three of you again.

"This is my son, Jungkook. He's five years old and is usually playing around the market while I work." Seokjin petted Jungkook's head. The three of you angels stared at Seokjin with wide eyes. He's a father? Jungkook snuggled into Seokjin as he stared back at you. "Is it shocking?"

"A bit." Solji smiled.

"I've never seen him before or heard of him," Hyojin stated. "How come this is the first time we meet him?"

"I usually don't mention him when doing business." Seokjin shrugged. He looked back at Jungkook, staring at the child's bored expression. Jungkook appeared to have gotten bored from being held. Seokjin chuckled before giving Jungkook a bunch of kisses on his face. "I found him when he was a baby by a river in the forest. Now he's my own."

"You're raising him as your own? That's so sweet." You waved at Jungkook. It also made more sense since you could have sworn this man was the same age as Heeyeon. Though you waved at Jungkook, he shoved his face into the neck of Seokjin. You giggled to see him suddenly acting so shy. Just a few minutes ago he was selling products just like his father. Soon Jungkook was giving Seokjin a kiss on the cheek from how much his father was begging for one in return.

"Down!" Jungkook whined. Seokjin sighed, bringing the boy down to the floor.

"Be safe and don't bother your samchon," Seokjin told the boy. "He's weird."

"I'm gonna play with Samchon!" Jungkook smiled brightly, laughing at Seokjin's reaction. He quickly ran off behind a curtain.

Seokjin shook his head and eventually returned to business with Hyojin and Solji. Things were back to normal with them yet you couldn't ignore the warm feeling in your chest. The interaction between Jungkook and Seokjin was so sweet. It was enough to make you wish you had your own child. The moment that thought appeared in your head, you had to shake it off. That was too soon of a thought to have. After you become twenty five is when you'll be allowed to marry and get pregnant according to the rules. Technically Solji is of age right now, but she refuses to accept anyone's hand in marriage. She made it clear that she won't marry until a new Crown Prince is born. Soon, you hoped.

Hyojin and Solji took a couple more minutes with Seokjin. They confirmed that the last present for Lady Eunchae is to arrive tomorrow. Not many days were left before the King officially had to be brought to Lady Eunchae. Everything was going according to schedule. Only two days left which was pretty thrilling in your opinion. Tomorrow you'll be coming back to the market to get the last gift and then the final day will be packing up tiny things. Everything was practically ready with one carriage holding the King while the other would be packed with gifts and food to last all of you a majority of the trip. Heeyeon was planning on getting restocked when all of you arrive with Lady Eunchae.

Thankfully the unnies finished since you were getting tired of waiting. You already wanted to return to the palace so you could give the King his pears. Something in you couldn't wait to see his facial expression. What would he say to receive something like this? Biting your lip, you wished that fate was leading you down the right path. Happy was neighing when all of you walked over. Hopping on your horse, the three of you rode all the way back. It was hard to wipe the smile off your face now. Riding back inside the palace walls, you jumped off of Happy and left him with the other two. Though they had questions on why you were leaving in such a hurry, you raised your sack of pears so they could get the message. They didn't, but that's okay.

Servants didn't say anything as they saw you run with a large bag. They mainly paused in confusion, but you were too busy to pay attention to them. You only had one thing on your mind. Hurriedly arriving at the King's wing, you panted and smiled to see his servants in front of the doors. You smiled at the chief eunuch who announced your presence. The doors opened for you to walk in. Though the sack was bigger than your body, you did your best to hide it behind your back. The King was sitting in his throne with Seungwon and Hwayoung standing next to him. Once the King saw it was you, he snapped his fingers. Seungwon and Hwayoung bowed, understanding without any words having to be said. You were surprised to see them walk out so quickly. The doors shut, leaving the King and you to have some privacy.

"Back from the market?" He smiled at you as you walked closer. Bowing at the King, you lifted your head with a cheerful attitude.

"The trip was a successful one, my King. We only have one last trip to make tomorrow and then we'll be set," You informed him. He nodded as his eyes traveled to what you were trying to hide. Noticing his gaze, you turned yourself in an attempt to hide the goods. A scoff left the King as he stood up from his throne. Looking up at the King, he walked over to check what exactly you were hiding. Unfortunately for him, you continued to turn yourself to prevent him from seeing anything. The two of you were turning in circles until the King got dizzy.

"What are you hiding from me?" The King questioned with a chuckle. You smiled at him, finally bringing the sack into view for him.

"I bought these as a gift for you, your Highness." You held it up for him. The words didn't click with the King at first. He stared at you and blinked a few times until he reached for the bag. Biting your lip, you watched him open it up to see it was filled with pears.

"Pears..." The King said in disbelief. His lips twitched as they turned into a smile. His eyes looked back at you to see you excited at his reaction. "Thank you...you really didn't have to get me a gift."

"I felt I needed to, my King. Without you, your Majesty, my existence would have no meaning." You bowed as he became silent. "My life has purpose thanks to you."

"...you're a good angel, (F/n)." He set down the sack of pears. He was poking around, searching for the best one to eat.

"It's an honor to hear that coming from you, my King." You wanted to bounce on your toes. "I'll go stand by the corner of the room while you enjoy your gift. Let me know if you need anything."

"Huh?" He looked away from the pears to see you turn around. You didn't think much as you headed towards the doors. You were planning on standing near the entrance when arms suddenly wrapped themselves around you. Stiffening up, you remained still to feel the King holding you. What is he doing? He took in a deep breath before hugging you tightly. "Thank you for the gift. Pears are good for comfort...thank you, (F/n)."

"You don't have to thank me," You said shyly.

"Yeon (F/n)."

"Yes?"

"I want you to be my friend—no. It's an order. I order you to be my friend." The King refused to let you slip out of his arms. Not that you would, but this was strange. You listened to his words, sensing the blessing and danger behind his wants. "And I want you to address me by name from now on. Kim Namjoon."


	9. The King's Friend

Ch.8

"What?"

"Namjoon. I demand you to address me by my name," The King muttered softly as he continued to hold you.

"B-But what will others say? It's not proper for me to call by your name so casually..." You wanted to face him. No matter how much you tried to move in his arms, he kept you still.

"No one is allowed to scold you. I grant you permission to do so...but if you don't feel comfortable saying my name in front of others then only when we're in private." The King slowly turned you around. Pressing your lips tightly against each other, you examined the King's face to see if he truly meant what he was saying.

"I mean no disrespect to you, my King, nor do I want you to see this as going against your authority—" You started as his grip around your shoulders tightened.

"Please. If anyone has a problem with it then they will have to talk to me," The King stated as his gaze grew desperate. "I desire a friend, (F/n)." You didn't know what to say for the longest time. It was silent between the two of you for what felt like centuries.

"...N-Namjoon..." You felt your stomach do a flip. Once that name left your lips, Namjoon began to smile softly at you. There was no going back now that you had accepted his demand. There was no other choice seeing as who were you to deny the King? The moment you said his name, you knew this could potentially put you in danger. It almost felt like there was a change in the air, fate blowing through the wind chimes outside as Namjoon and you stared at each other. "Is that okay?"

"More than okay." Namjoon let go of your shoulders. He couldn't stop smiling as he went around his room. He allowed you to do whatever you pleased now. You stayed still where he left you, watching Namjoon grab two pears from the bag. His dimples were deep as he handed you one and insisted you eat with him.

Friends with the King? Could you really have that relationship with the King? You hoped fate would keep the two of you safe. Namjoon is a good man and you wouldn't want anything happening to him. If anyone were to misunderstand how close the two of you are, you could become a target for enemies. In all honesty, you don't care if you die for the King. It didn't matter. You would die for him in a heartbeat even though you knew you needed to be alive to protect him. The goal was to stay alive for as long as the King needed you. Namjoon will never die on your watch. Never. But if you're meant to die for him then so be it. You have no problem with it.

Your mind was in a much more serious place while Namjoon was acting like a little kid as he ate his fruit. It was almost weird spending time with Namjoon like this. It already took some adjusting allowing yourself to reenter Namjoon's life. Before he would have you stand ten feet away from him if he was in a good mood or if the situation called for him to have his angels nearby. The only view you got to see of Namjoon was hidden on a rooftop and every place imaginable, ready to come out at his call. Now he had you sitting next to him and insisting you eat a pear with him. Fate works in strange ways, but you suppose you don't mind it. You'll let fate lead you.

Namjoon was kind to you the entire time you watched over him. He didn't have to be remotely sweet to you, but it was nice. He didn't insult you once which you couldn't be more grateful for. Your presence no longer irked him. Though his words in the past had stung, you were willing to let it go to see him behaving so differently. Namjoon said he wanted a friend and even begged you. It was impossible to refuse, but it left you wondering. Isn't Seungwon his friend? Then again, who says you can't have more than one friend? It appears you were right about the King being lonely after all. Namjoon didn't say anything about it, but it was clear that he was more than satisfied with the new friendship. He let you go towards the end of the night and reminded you that you must wear the hairpin and address him by his first name in private. Strict orders, but easy enough to follow.

Hwayoung didn't say anything when you returned to the angel's quarter. She was getting ready for bed like the other angels. Some were already under their covers while you were the last one to remove your armor. Rushing to take off the heavy weight, you felt light as a feather once you shed that layer off. Solji reminded everyone of their duties tomorrow. Hwayoung and you will be watching Namjoon in the morning together. She listed everyone else's jobs while emphasizing the specific members who promised to go to the market to retrieve the final gift for Lady Eunchae. One of those angels being you. Tomorrow is going to be fun.

Things were interesting in the morning. While the other angels continued with their own schedules, Hwayoung repeatedly glanced in your direction. She must have questions about how your relationship with Namjoon is going. She saw how tense things were between the both of you, but now the air was cleared up. Everything is okay! Namjoon has come to understand you and considers you a friend which is a huge honor. Only you doubt you can reveal that information to Hwayoung. It was the first time you ever decided to hide anything so big away from her. It just couldn't be help. How could you tell her that the King wants you to be his friend and address him by his first name?

"You've been quiet." Hwayoung looked straight forward as the two of you walked to Namjoon's wing. You walked empty handed while she carried a small bread that looked pretty good.

"Me? Oh...I guess I have." You shrugged. You didn't quite know what to say to her.

"Is everything okay between the King and you?" Hwayoung asked bluntly. "He asked to be alone with you after you arrived from the market."

"Ah, right...it's true," You mumbled. "The King doesn't hate me like I had believed. We managed to clear up a simple misunderstanding. At least now I can truly fulfill my duty as his guardian angel without my presence bothering him."

"That is better." Hwayoung raised the small bread in her hands to her lips.

"That looks good. I'm so hungry." You sighed before seeing her hold out the bread in your direction. Blinking at her hand, you immediately shook your head at her. "Hwayoung, no. That's yours!"

"Eat it if you want it. I'm not too hungry right now and I can always eat later." Hwayoung put the bread in your hands. She smiled softly, looking straight forward again as you slowly ate the bread. You knew she was lying. She's definitely hungry.

You're just glad that one of the palace women will ask if you two have eaten at all. She would bring the two of you food if need be. Even when you tried giving Hwayoung a small piece of the bread, she refused to take it. It was hard to understand why she was trying so hard to not eat it. Sighing, you finished the bread yourself. By that time the two of you arrived in front of Namjoon's wings. Hwayoung and you stood by the large doors, giving the chief eunuch a nod. He straightened his posture as he loudly announced the presence of the King's shadows. The doors opened, allowing Hwayoung and you to enter the room. You stepped in and bowed immediately with Hwayoung.

"I've been waiting." Namjoon chuckled, walking over to the both of you. Hwayoung and you raised your bodies to see him almost dressed. All he was missing was his outer coat that puffed out and made him look bigger than he actually was. Hwayoung and you instantly looked around the room to see the missing garment on his throne. "Ignore that. I don't feel like wearing it.

"But it signifies your status, your Majesty," Hwayoung said. Namjoon only shook his head, waving her words away.

"It makes no difference." Namjoon snapped his fingers. In that moment, Seungwon appeared in the King's wing. He walked out from behind the throne with a small smile on his face. Hwayoung tensed up to see him, but her eyes were twinkling. She was still showing hesitance in private like this while Seungwon stared at her happily. "You two may go on a walk or do what you please."

"Do you mean it, your Highness?" Hwayoung's eyes widened.

"Yes, go enjoy yourselves." Namjoon folded his arms. "He only talks about you when we're together so I figured this would give me a break."

"How thoughtful of you, my precious King." Seungwon grinned at the male. Namjoon scoffed as he watched the couple walk close to each other.

"Yeah, precious." Namjoon glanced at you as he playfully made fun of his friend. The two happily walked towards the door before acting serious as they walked out. They made it seem as if they were on important business. Smiling as they left, you turned to face Namjoon who was making his way towards you. "Hello, (F/n). I hope you had a good morning so far."

"It is always pleasant with you, my Ki—er—Namjoon!" You corrected yourself. Namjoon laughed as he decided to walk over to his throne. He sat down on the pillows, leaning back in his seat.

"You know you don't have to over flatter me, right?" Namjoon raised a brow. "I get that enough from all the others."

"It may be a habit, but I do mean it!" You walked close to his throne. Namjoon tilted his head as he stared up at you with a gentle look. The King looked nice like this. He was safe and happy which meant you were doing your job. "I enjoy being your angel."

"And what about being my friend?" Namjoon asked, placing his chin in the palm of his hand.

"I'm liking it," You admitted shyly. It felt like you could do more for your King this way. If you're closer to him then you could offer him more as an angel. Namjoon nodded to himself, happy with the answer you gave him.

"Well, you may stand guard for the time being. I have some letters and petitions to read through." Namjoon lifted up a thin stack of packaged letters. You bowed at his words and stayed near him as he performed his own duties.

It was relaxing watching over the King. Namjoon read through his letters, writing responses or putting some away anytime he rejected a petition. You didn't bother reading anything he was writing. Though you were able to read, you had to admit you were pretty slow at it. You were faster at writing and even then you weren't anything spectacular. The only thing that made you feel better was that Hyelin was at the same level as you and Jeonghwa was slightly worse. Heeyeon was the most educated just like Solji and Hyojin. Then Hwayoung did pretty well for herself.

Namjoon occasionally glanced over at you to check how you were doing. There was no need for him to do that though. It's not like you were bored or anything. At one point, a palace woman was allowed in to bring in a tray of tea and food for the King and you. She left, letting you be in charge of pouring Namjoon another cup of tea if he asked. Your hands were a bit shaky, but he luckily didn't notice or that could have been a disaster. Namjoon drank a bit of his tea but mainly stayed focused on his work. It was you who ate a majority of the treats that were made for Namjoon. You also had more cups of tea than the King. Namjoon laughed every time you ate another treat but assured you that he was fine with it. Maybe you should have calmed down on the tea though.

You hurried to relieve yourself in a separate room. Namjoon didn't think much of it. He expected this much seeing as you practically drank half of the tea created for him. You cleaned yourself up before you came back to Namjoon. He was in the middle of carefully folding a letter he wrote. He slid it into a thin envelope before getting his seal ready. Hot wax was placed on the envelope before he left his royal stamp on it. He added it to the pile, sighing to see his workload beginning to shrink. Namjoon turned to notice you by him and smiled tiredly.

"I only wanted to inform you that I will be leaving very soon." You bowed to see his face pucker in confusion.

"Leave? Why would you be leaving?" Namjoon frowned.

"I am on duty to go to the market with Heeyeon and Jeonghwa," You stated happily. You were thrilled to go back to the market and it was also exciting that the journey to Lady Eunchae would be beginning soon. There were a lot of things to look forward to yet Namjoon didn't look like he was understanding what you were saying.

"But you're my shadow."

"Hwayoung will come to take my place. Her or any of the other angels." You pointed out as Namjoon looked at the front door instead of you. He tapped his fingers on the table in front of him, thinking to himself. You stayed silent to see him acting this way. Eventually Namjoon shook his head, facing you with a strong look in his eyes. "Yes, Namjoon?"

"I want to go with." Namjoon stood up from his throne.

"What?" You stared at the King like he was crazy. Namjoon remained serious as he looked down at you. There's no way he could actually come to the market with you and the angels. It's just not possible and certainly not on short notice. Giving Namjoon a weak smile, you didn't have the heart to completely deny him. He's the King as well. "I-I'm not sure if that's a good idea...it's safer here—"

"I want to go." Namjoon didn't blink.

"We're just receiving one item. It'll be a quick trip—" You tried to make him lose interest or leave the idea on his own.

"The faster I return home then if that's what has you so nervous." Namjoon stayed stubborn. You wanted to sigh at him for the way he was acting. "I'll dress in something that won't let anyone know I'm the King. They hardly know my face anyway."

"But plenty of people will still be able to recognize you, Namjoon! It's not safe!" You reasoned. Namjoon ignored you, roughly attempting to undress himself. It was frustrating to not have him listening. There's no way the other angels will allow Namjoon to go to the market. Not even Solji would approve. Namjoon almost ripped his clothes in half as he took them off.

"Ah, I should have just called in a eunuch or a palace woman," Namjoon grumbled before shouting, "I need assistance!"

The doors burst open as a small team of servants came in at Namjoon's request. They bowed as they were given the order of changing Namjoon into clothes that wouldn't reveal his status. Frowning, you knew you couldn't do anything. You might as well alert the other angels that Namjoon is coming. Stepping out the doors, you whistled loudly as Jeonghwa smoothly appeared out of nowhere. She slid down a roof, jumping onto the ground and landing on her feet.

"Are you ready to go to the market?" She said, the slightest smile tugging on the corner of her lips.

"Yes, but..." You looked back into the King's wing. Jeonghwa began to look over in confusion when she saw the King switching into less than favorable clothes. Her eyes almost bulged out of her head as she looked back at you for answers. "The King insists on coming with us."

Jeonghwa's jaw dropped instantly at the news. How could it not? What Namjoon was requesting was beyond outrageous. At this point he was risking his own life. Just because he was the King, he believed he could do as he pleases. Not at times like this. You sent Jeonghwa away to go notify Heeyeon about the King's wishes. Tell Solji as well so she can hopefully coerce him into staying. Namjoon doesn't understand how reckless his actions are. He's not thinking clearly when he said that. It was making you worried on what could happen even though not many people in the capital had swords. Maybe small knives yet you didn't want to put Namjoon in any potential harm.

Then again, it was your job to protect the King. You'll be around as well as the other angels so that should okay. Not to mention Namjoon will have to be protected by the seven of you when you all begin the journey. What could hurt about bringing Namjoon to the market for a short while? Still, you weren't for it and nor were the other angels once they were informed. Each of them thought it was a careless idea and that Namjoon needed to think his actions more thoroughly. Despite everyone being against it and telling Namjoon no, you found yourself riding with Namjoon sitting behind you on your horse, Happy. Should you really be surprised it turned out this way?

"So this is how it looks outside the palace walls," Namjoon whispered in awe. He had his arms wrapped around your waist, looking around as you calmly rode Happy with the other angels surrounding you guys. It wasn't just Jeonghwa and Heeyeon with you anymore. No, all seven angels were here to ensure Namjoon's safety. A short trip had turned into a parade.

"That's right, you've never left." Solji watched Namjoon get excited over the sight of the tall trees.

"Well, I've left twice before..." Namjoon slowly pursed his lips.

"Ah, why did you remind him?" Hyojin huffed. The memorial processions were the only time Namjoon had been allowed to leave, but those times were meant for grieving the loss of a parent. There was no time to explore. None of that.

"I'm sorry!" Solji blushed in embarrassment.

"It's fine." Namjoon nodded.

"The capital market is nearby, my...er...how do we address you in public? If we are supposed to keep you undercover?" Heeyeon's brows knitted together.

"Namjoon is fine." The male smiled.

"I don't think so!" Hyelin laughed. "No, really! What do we call you?"

"Sir? Young master?" Jeonghwa suggested.

"I think Sir works." You liked the way it sounded. Formal yet it doesn't give away his status. It also doesn't lead others to believe he is a noble of any kind. While it sounded good to you and the rest of the angels, Namjoon wasn't too fond of it.

"We're only doing this for your safety, Sir. Please understand," Hwayoung stated as Namjoon sighed behind you.

"I understand."

Namjoon only wanted to shed his King title temporarily, but it would be too hard to escape. Even as the eight of you walked through the roads, it was an interesting sight to see. Seven women dressed as men with swords and then one man among all of you. People thankfully kept their distance from you guys. If they at all dared to step closer to Namjoon then things could turn very quickly. You just wanted this market trip to be quick and easy. Hopefully no one will have to unsheathe their sword today. That's your main goal since that will mean a successful trip!

The other angels kept you in the center since Namjoon was on your horse. Happy was doing so well with carrying the King. You loved Happy, but you've fallen off of him a good amount of times. It's almost impossible to never fall off a horse at least once in your life. Before Namjoon got on Happy, you reminded him that riding horses meant having strong thighs. He assured you he would be fine. Namjoon knows how to ride horses, but it's not like he does it often. That's why it felt more like a stroll to the market. None of the angels were whipping their reins on their horse which typically happened every time. There was always a rush except for now. It took a while to arrive to the capital market, but Namjoon arrived safely.

"This is it." Solji raised her hand, motioning all the angels to tie their horses near the tree. It was the same area like last time. They immediately followed Solji's silent command without question. Namjoon watched them all move together in slight awe. You were the only one who stayed on your horse. He was about to ask when the girls came up to him.

"We'll help you get down, Sir." Hyojin lifted her hand.

"Be careful." Heeyeon reached out her own hand.

"What? I can do it myself." Namjoon shook his head.

"Please, Sir." You looked at him over your shoulder. Namjoon thinned his lip but listened to you to make this go by faster. He got assistance from Hyojin and Heeyeon. Just for his pride, you pretended you didn't notice him falling even with the help he was trying to deny earlier. You brought Happy over to the tree, leaving him with the other horses to chat. Not literally, but you liked to think so.

"What do we intend to do?" Hwayoung turned to Solji. You hurried over, all the angels facing Solji while Namjoon continued to turn his head and look at the area.

"Hyojin and I will speak to Seokjin. Jeonghwa and Hyelin will be standing outside the market, keeping watch. Heeyeon is going to be walking around the market to make sure there are no suspicious people," Solji said. "Lastly, Hwayoung and (F/n) will shadow the King as always."

"Sounds good to me!" Hyelin nodded with the rest of you.

Hwayoung and you immediately stood on either side of Namjoon. He almost let a chuckle slip to see the way all of you were acting. It wasn't funny in your opinion, but you could understand why he reacted like that. The goal was to keep Namjoon safe and not let anyone know his true identity yet all of you were being obvious by giving him this much protection. Jeonghwa and Hyelin stood outside the doors, sticking to their assigned posts while the rest of you entered. Solji and Hyojin made their way to Seokjin's booth. He was already standing there patiently for them. Heeyeon began her walk around the capital market, keeping her eyes open for anything. Then Namjoon had his shadows at his sides.

"How about I stand near Angel Hyojin and Solji?" Namjoon asked.

"Do you want them to look over you instead?" Hwayoung looked at him. The man only shrugged, still taking everything in.

"I don't really want to be watched at the moment. I want to see what they're doing. See what they're getting Lady Eunchae, speak with the vendor, explore, and such." Namjoon smiled, walking over to the two eldest without wasting another second. Hwayoung had originally opened her mouth to say something only to see him leaving.

"He is going to do as he pleases..." You gave Hwayoung a weak smile.

"I can see that." Hwayoung sighed. Namjoon placed his hands on the shoulders of Hyojin and Solji, patting them as he inserted himself into the business conversation. Solji hesitantly decided to inform Namjoon on the situation while Hyojin looked back at Hwayoung and you with narrowed eyes.

"Do you think she's mad?" You kept an expressionless face.

"Solji unnie or Hyojin unnie?" Hwayoung wanted to scoff.

"Hyojin unnie."

"Do you even have to ask?"

You whined softly without letting your feelings be obvious on your face. Hyojin is an unnie you respect and she can be a bit scary at times. Hopefully this doesn't get the two of you scolded by her or Solji. Hwayoung and you shifted on your feet, unsure on what to do. Stand here in the distance or crowd the stand with them. Namjoon seemed to be holding the last present for Lady Eunchae. Seokjin was branding it as new technology that had never been created or seen before. It was called a compass which had everyone staring at the item in awe. You couldn't help walk over to see what exactly the thing was.

"Extraordinary." Namjoon smiled, turning it over in his hands.

"Exactly. There are probably less than three in the country and I own two of them." Seokjin chuckled. "And you're holding one of them, my King. No one better to hold it."

"It really is amazing—wait. W-What did you call me?" Namjoon blinked at Seokjin.

"I would be an imbecile not to recognize you." Seokjin bowed. Namjoon awkwardly fidgeted with the compass as Hyojin and Solji glanced at each other. In that moment, the compass suddenly slipped from Namjoon's hand. He gasped, reaching towards the item. It jumped multiple times before inevitably falling onto the ground.

"Oh no." Solji winced.

"I thought your clumsiness would be a phase, Sir." Hyojin grabbed the compass. Namjoon turned red, unable to say anything to Hyojin. Out of all the angels to witness him be clumsy, he was between the worst ones. Hyojin was bold to click her tongue at the King while Solji patted Namjoon's back, acting like a mother rather than a bodyguard. "It is indeed broken..."

"B-Broken!?" Namjoon stiffened up.

"It's okay...I have one more..." Seokjin was almost in shock. Namjoon had barely touched the compass, holding it for less than a minute. Now the arrow wasn't working anymore.

"Sir, apologize to Seokjin." Solji waited for Namjoon who complied.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's fine, your Majesty." Seokjin bowed. "I'll go search the back for the other one."

"This time I'll hold it." Hyojin sighed, giving Namjoon a sympathetic look. It was clear the King was feeling bad for what he did.

Hwayoung was doing her best not to look embarrassed for her King while you held in a sigh. Some things just happen, but you hoped Namjoon doesn't feel too bad about his first genuine experience outside. You took a step away from the booth to let them handle the situation. Seokjin went behind the curtain to search for the last compass. Right away, Namjoon begged Hyojin to take a look at the compass again to see if he could fix it. Hyojin was hesitant at first, but it was already broken. You just had to walk away in case things got worse. Solji will handle the comforting part.

You were only going to walk around a bit and go back next to Hwayoung. Those intentions quickly vanished the moment you saw the little boy standing across from you again. Jungkook was smiling cutely at you that you couldn't help, but wave. Jungkook ran into curtains, giggling instead of waving back at you. Where did he go? Your brows furrowed to check where he had gone. It was a narrow stand next to Seokjin's with dark curtains surrounding the entire place. You hadn't properly noticed it before. Was it a storage area? Walking over to it, you peeked inside in hopes of seeing Jungkook. What you got instead was a strange man with Jungkook sitting on a pillow right next to him.

"Please come in." The man gestured you to take a seat in front of him.

It felt too strange yet Jungkook was happily sitting next to the man. The boy was swinging his legs back and forth, bouncing on his pillow. The man waited patiently while Jungkook couldn't wait. He was whining for you to come in already. You looked over your shoulder to check if your presence was needed. Hwayoung was struggling to look at Namjoon who managed to dismantle the compass entirely. Namjoon was panicking while Solji insisted it was okay and Hyojin was having trouble containing her screams. They all seemed busy with their own things. Biting your lip, you stepped inside the dark room and shut the curtains behind you.

"What is this place?" You carefully took a seat in front of the man. He had his arms on the table with strange items decorating his little hut.

"My name is Min Yoongi and welcome to my humble tent." He raised his arms. Jungkook copied his actions giddily. "I can see Fate's plan...in ways..."

"In ways?" You tilted your head skeptically. "Ah, I don't really—"

"The jewelry box." Yoongi smirked to see he had finally caught your attention. "Did you like my present?"

"That—That was you?" You pointed at him in shock.

"The pears too, but I had Kookie sell them to you." Yoongi placed his hand on Jungkook's head. The boy giggled, enjoying the affection he received from Yoongi. "It seems like things are going just like they told me."

"Who is they?" You questioned.

"That's for me to know." Yoongi removed his hand from Jungkook. "They told me some interesting things about you. The moment you stepped into the market, your energy was something else."

"My energy?" You couldn't understand anything this man was saying. Yoongi appeared to be a suspicious person but having Jungkook by his side almost made him believable.

"I only had to tweak some things in order to make the future less messy. You'll be thanking me in the future." Yoongi grinned. "There's less blood and a much happier ending thanks to the box and pears."

"Okay...so you did that for me?"

"I did it for the sake of Goguryeo." Yoongi's voice grew dramatically darker. Now you weren't so sure if he was joking around anymore. He glanced over at Jungkook, motioning the boy to leave. Jungkook pouted but listened to the older man. Not before giving and getting a kiss on the cheek. Yoongi watched the young boy leave, waiting for the right time to speak again. "Both items have eased your bad tension with the King, right?"

"...how do you know that?" You frowned. Yoongi kept a smile on his face, waiting for you to start believing him already. This was getting weirder than you thought. "You're not wrong...you say you're doing this for our nation?"

"I have nothing but the best interest for our nation." Yoongi nodded, clasping his hands together. You scooted your stool closer to the man. It was clear you were listening intently to him now. "Fate has some interesting things in store for you...I can't stop it from happening, but I can certainly tweak it and that's what I did."

"What did you tweak?" You almost growled. You weren't too fond at the idea of someone messing with your fate.

"I'll just put it as this. I can't change who you wed, but I can make everything leading up to it less troublesome." Yoongi shrugged as he leaned back in his chair. "I only quickened up Fate's plan for you."

"Who do you think you are?" You placed your hand on the scabbard of your sword. Yoongi only shook his head at you with a small smirk on his face.

"Oh (F/n), violence doesn't suit you." Yoongi sighed. He knows your name? You never revealed that information to him. Swallowing, you kept a cold gaze on him. "He thinks the same."

"If I say I believe you, will you tell me who 'he' is? And I marry?" You questioned in pure confusion. This must be something happening in the far future yet he said he made it quicker. Other women your age are married and possibly had their first child already. You're an angel and not allowed to marry until you're past twenty-five years old. "You must be wrong. I can't marry—"

"—until you're twenty-five, yes. Those are the old rules." Yoongi crossed his arms, enjoying the expressions you showed on your face. "I don't want to reveal it too early. That will only end in more blood and more lives lost. This way is the best so don't rush it and let Fate take its course. I have it all under control."

"Why...would lives be lost?" Your heart felt like it was sinking down to your stomach.

"It is quite the story." Yoongi laughed before shaking his head. "I really can't say but stay close to your fellow angels. Take care of your King and be smart. I can only guide you so much."

"Guide me...right." You stood up from the stool. Yoongi kept the smirk on his face as you turned away from him. He was a strange man speaking a bunch of nonsense. That's all he was and you didn't have to believe him. Though he did say a few things that concerned you. Stepping out of the tent, you returned to the other angels. Seokjin had just returned with the last compass and didn't give it to Namjoon this time. At least everything was still normal out here.

Seokjin explained to them how the compass worked. Solji and Hyojin were the main ones asking questions meanwhile Namjoon understood the gist of it. He just wasn't allowed to touch it. By this time, Heeyeon was circling around the market for the fifth time. It was clear that she wanted them to hurry up, but Hwayoung must have informed her on why they were taking so long. The two stopped to talk to each other for a bit. That's when you noticed Hyelin and Jeonghwa peeking into the market, mouthing questions on why it was taking forever.

"I'll wrap this up right away!" Seokjin smiled. "Which one of you has careful hands?"

"I'll carry it." Solji patted Namjoon one last time.

"I...couldn't fix it." Namjoon hesitantly held up the first compass. It was in a worse state that you could barely tell what it was supposed to be at this point. Seokjin grimaced before forcing the smile back on his face.

"Really, your Highness, it's okay." Seokjin pushed back hair from his face as he wrapped the compass up. Namjoon grumbled under his breath, handing the compass back to Hyojin. She pursed her lips and looked over at Solji on what do to with the broken item. Namjoon watched Seokjin put the compass in a bag before his eyes traveled to movement against the curtains behind the shop owner. He raised a brow, wondering if anyone else saw that. Solji bowed as she took the bag from Seokjin. Taking care of the compass on the trip back to the palace would be her own job. Hyojin tossed the broken pieces on the floor, pretending she hadn't just done that.

You came closer to them, hoping that business at the market was officially over. It was about time the King goes back to the palace for safety. He's enjoyed his time out here more than enough. Well, you assume he enjoyed the trip a little bit. Maybe not the whole breaking a compass by accident part. As you stood with them, you noticed Namjoon trying to see what was behind Seokjin. Did he notice something? You leaned over to see Jungkook standing behind Seokjin. The little boy was well hidden by Seokjin's robes until he decided to poke his head out and stare at the customers.

"Visiting me again, Kookie?" Seokjin chuckled. Jungkook nodded his head shyly, staying close to his father until his eyes landed on Namjoon. Even the King was stunned to see a little boy for some reason.

"Appa, who is that?" Jungkook pointed a small finger towards the tall male. Seokjin turned to pick up his son, happily introducing him to the King of their nation.

"This is someone very important," Seokjin stated. Jungkook clutched onto Seokjin, staring at Namjoon with big brown eyes. Solji and Hyojin had stepped away from the stand to go talk with Hwayoung and Heeyeon. You stayed close to Namjoon as he stared at Jungkook.

"The King?" Jungkook whispered.

"You're a very smart boy." Namjoon smiled, his dimples appearing in his cheeks. Jungkook gasped and giggled, holding onto Seokjin tighter. He stared at Namjoon as if the man were his hero. You felt yourself become warm at the sight. Something about Namjoon interacting with the little boy made your heart ache. He's going to be such a good King and raise an incredible Crown Prince. You just know it. "What is your name? Kookie?"

"Jungkook! But you can call me Kookie too." Jungkook grinned. "Appa does and so does Samchon."

"Right..." Seokjin sighed.

"I like Samchon a lot!" Jungkook squealed. You chuckled lightly to see him so excited by his uncle. It eventually got you to pause in thought. His uncle also calls him Kookie? Your brows furrowed until the curtains moved again.

"I hear my precious Kookie." Yoongi stepped out, reaching his arms out towards the boy. Seokjin turned away from the man and held Jungkook tighter. You glanced at Namjoon, wondering if he wanted to just leave. Instead your King was watching curiously and not moving away. Jungkook whined, squirming in Seokjin's arms. "Give me my baby!"

"No! He's _my_ baby!" Seokjin puffed his cheeks up.

"I helped you raise him!" Yoongi mentioned as Seokjin shook his head.

"All you do is make him believe in your nonsense and give him random tasks!" Seokjin glared at the male. Jungkook was moving more than before which left Namjoon entertained. You had a feeling this wouldn't go the way Seokjin wanted. "Please stop moving, Jungkookie."

"Samchon!" Jungkook yelled.

"Aigoo! My baby!" Yoongi grabbed Jungkook, forcefully pushing Seokjin away.

"He's my son." Seokjin looked at you and Namjoon. The two of you nodded, unsure why he wanted to prove that to the both of you. Jungkook cuddled into Yoongi with a large smile on his face. As Yoongi petted the child, he gave a smirk to Seokjin. "You're lucky I let you run a stand next to mine!"

"Seokjinnie enjoys my company but won't admit it." Yoongi looked over to Namjoon and you. He chuckled while Seokjin began to scoff out of pure outrage.

"He annoys me!" Seokjin insisted.

"Are you saying our fishing trips were all lies?" Yoongi frowned, faking hurt dramatically. Anyone would have been able to see that except for the small child in Yoongi's arms. Jungkook's eyes widened at his uncle's words.

"Appa, you don't care for Samchon?" Jungkook pouted.

"No."

"Wow, you can't even lie to our kid." Yoongi covered Jungkook's ears.

"MY kid!" Seokjin threw his arms up in the air.

"Have fun finding a new fishing friend." Yoongi began to walk away with a more serious aura, slipping behind the curtains.

"Sure...wait. No! You don't mean that!" Seokjin's eyes widened. "You're my best fishing friend! Yah!" He ran behind the curtains.

Namjoon and you stood still for a few seconds. Were they going to come back or was the show over? You'll just take this opportunity to leave. Turning to face Namjoon, you tapped his arm and nudged your head towards the other angels. He chuckled as he began walking over with you to the angels. Solji nodded as she led the way out of the market. Jeonghwa and Hyelin joined the rest of you to the horses. You untied Happy before jumping onto him and helping Namjoon get on. Once Namjoon was seated and had his arms around you, all of you were ready to go. Traveling back to the palace was a lot faster this time thankfully. You couldn't wait to get the King back in his royal wear and having him be safe in his room instead of witnessing two questionable men quarrel.

Soon everyone arrived at the palace again safely. Namjoon watched all the angels put their horses away. You expected him to be bored now that he was back in the palace. Yet when you glanced at him, he seemed to be enjoying himself. He watched his angels interacting and laughing whenever they slipped out of their trained stoic state. Jeonghwa was trying to put away her horse quietly when Hyojin brought a beetle over to her. Jeonghwa was about to scream until Hyojin reminded her not to scare the horses. Namjoon bit his lip as he watched Jeonghwa runaway without looking back and screaming eventually. Hyojin laughed, putting the beetle back on the ground. Solji shook her head as you walked back over to Namjoon.

The rest of the angels were free to return to their duties again. They didn't have to help watch over Namjoon again. You could handle that job by yourself. Hwayoung was going to join until Namjoon silently shook his head. She paused to glance at you, seeing you press your lips tightly against each other. She eventually nodded and walked away with the others. She possibly might ask you about it tonight which you hope she didn't. There was nothing strange going on besides Namjoon wanting to treat you like a friend. He felt relaxed and didn't have to act too much of a King around you. It gave him a breather to simply be human.

Though Namjoon used you as a way to take it easy, you reminded yourself to not think the same. He may treat you casually as a friend and you might respond as so, but you know better. The King is not your friend. You're meant to be his guardian angel and nothing more. It was hard to keep that mindset in all honesty. It was very tempting to be friendly with the King like before when the two of you were young children. There was no one stopping the both of you yet something told you not to let your guard down. The minute you do, something bad can occur to the King. You couldn't care less about what happened to you. But what if something actually happened to you? You hope the King wouldn't feel too much emotional pain from it. You mustn't get too close to Namjoon for his own good.

"Are you coming with me?" Namjoon stared at you with a brow raised. Finally snapping out of your thoughts, you realized he had walked a couple feet away from you. When did he do that? Blinking at the King, he quickly became impatient. "Should I make it a demand, Angel (F/n)?"

"No, my King. I am on my way." You bowed before running to his side. Your heart was pounding in your chest, surprised at the way he spoke to you. It was just like a few days ago. He even stared at you coldly as if your presence was frustrating him again. You swallowed hard, trying not to think too much about it as the two of you entered his wing. None of the servants entered as Namjoon instructed them to stay out. Once the two of you were in private, Namjoon turned to face you immediately.

"I apologize for that...what I said earlier..." Namjoon cleared his throat. "Since we're keeping our friendship secret—"

"It is alright with me, my King...Namjoon." You smiled softly at him. "I understand if you have to treat me less than a friend outside of our own privacy."

"Just know that I don't mean it anymore. I've learned." Namjoon's dimples appeared on his cheeks. You giggled at the sight of them, noticing them get deeper at the sound of your laughter. "For now, there isn't much to do."

"Are you going to continue the work you abandoned?" You asked to see him sigh heavily. Namjoon's shoulders fell down, but you were right.

He turned away from you as he walked back over to his chair. This time he grabbed a pillow, dropping it onto the floor before sitting down on the few cushions left. What was that for? You stepped closer to the King as he motioned you towards the pillow. It finally clicked in your head that he wanted you to take a seat next to him. Wouldn't it be better for you to remain standing? Namjoon stared at you, repeatedly looking back down at the pillow. Eventually you had to sit down or else he wasn't going to get any work done. Namjoon is used to everyone doing as he pleases so it's easier to just accept everything and say yes to him.

Sitting next to him was an easy job. In reality, you were ready to jump on your feet at any given moment. Your eyes refused to stay on one single spot. You were alert the entire time Namjoon finished preparing work for the royal court. He also wrote many things for Seungwon to keep watch of while he's gone for the journey. Seungwon was being left in charge while Namjoon went on the month long journey. That was one thing Namjoon refused to be swayed on during the meeting with the scholars of the royal court. They tried getting one of themselves to be chosen, but they should have known better. Namjoon held no trust in any of them compared to Seungwon. The palace will be in good hands while you take the King to Lady Eunchae with the other angels.

Hours had passed and Namjoon worked until it was night. You could already hear the crickets singing outside as Namjoon stood up from his throne. He clapped his hands loudly, the front doors swinging open. Servants rushed in to clean up his work area while a few rushed in with his sleepwear. Standing up, you looked away as they changed the King into new clothes. Everything happened so fast. Once they finished, Namjoon told them they were free to leave the wing. They were done for the night. Each of them bowed as they walked out the door, soon leaving Namjoon and you alone again.

"The moon is out. It won't be long before I have to send you back to your quarter," Namjoon said. He took long strides to his bed at the side of the room. You followed him over there before he had a chance to untie the curtains. He sat down on the cushion, looking up at you as you bowed. "I'm not excusing you right now."

"I...oh. Is there something else you need me for?" You asked to see him shake his head.

"Nothing really. I only enjoy the company," Namjoon stated as he stretched out his legs. He brought one hand up to his head, removing a gold band around his hair. Did the servants forget to take it off? He rushed them quite a bit. You could tell Namjoon wasn't experienced in doing it himself. His long hair was getting tangled around the accessory and it quickly grew too painful for you to witness.

"Let me help you." You grabbed onto the band before he could make it worse.

"Thank you." He hissed, letting you take care of the mess.

"You really should be more careful with taking it off. Long hair gets tangled easily." You sighed, carefully removing the gold band. "I have to be cautious when removing the hairpin you gave me too."

"I'm happy you wear it though." Namjoon nodded to himself, looking at you over his shoulder. His dark locks now fell down his back.

"Of course." You set down the band near him. Namjoon was getting comfortable when you furrowed your brows at him. "I was going to brush your hair! Don't go to bed just yet!"

"Brush my hair? But I'm going to bed." Namjoon laughed. "It will get messy in the end."

"Going to bed with that nasty knot will make it worse for you in the morning!" You insisted. Namjoon stared at you in disbelief as you ran out to search for something to unknot his hair. Namjoon tried telling you that you were free to leave, but you ignored him. That's when you found a wooden comb! Perfect! "Look what I found!" You returned to him as he sighed.

"This is really unnecessary, Angel (F/n)," Namjoon said despite making no further protest. He allowed you to sit behind him and comb his hair.

"I only want you to sleep comfortably, my King," You stated.

He smiled softly as you began to comb his hair. It was something you were very familiar with. Not only from your own hair, but you also lived with six other girls. Naturally you had to have some sort of experience with brushing another's hair. Namjoon sat peacefully while you worked to unknot his hair. Most of your actions were gentle since you didn't want him to feel any type of pain. You kept reminding him that if it hurt for him to let you know. You would stop right away and change tactics yet he never made a sound. Soon his hair was free of knots and you were able to comb straight through when an idea popped into your head.

"Thank you for brushing my hair, (F/n)." Namjoon put his hands on his knees. "Now you may go back to the quarter with the rest of the angels."

"Mhm."

"(F/n)?" Namjoon turned his head, only for you to readjust him to look forward again. "What are you doing?"

"Don't move! I'm almost done and...yes!" You scooted to the front of him, bringing a small piece of his hair with you. Namjoon narrowed his eyes on you until he noticed what you did to a small part of his hair. "Do you like it? I braided it!"

"(F/n), what is this?" Namjoon whined. He grabbed the piece, ready to remove it only for your hands to stop him.

"It's cute!" You frowned.

"The King can't be cute!" Namjoon blushed, pushing your hands away and attempting to ruin the perfectly good braid you made. You couldn't stop yourself from being stubborn. It was just one tiny braid! Holding onto his wrists again, you made sure to keep his hands away from the braid you made. "There is no reason you have to be this strong!"

"What do you mean no reason!? I'm meant to protect you!" You remarked.

"I don't want this braid, (F/n)!" Namjoon squirmed in your hold, moving around wildly.

"It'll become loose as you sleep! It's not the worst thing in the world, Namjoon!" You pouted. Your grip became tighter on his wrists and that only caused Namjoon to thrash around even more. While he was seated, you were on your knees. You didn't have a stable stance from the start and that quickly caused your worst nightmare. "Namjoon!"

You shut your eyes, feeling your body get tugged forward. Your landing didn't hurt with Namjoon being under you not to mention the armor you had on. Though you barely felt a thing, Namjoon was staring at you with wide eyes. Namjoon quickly released your wrists as his face was slowly becoming red. Slowly opening your eyes, it finally occurred to you how close your face was to his. Your heart suddenly felt like it shot up to your throat. What's going on? Everything inside your mind shut down from panic and you remained on top of him like a fool.

"(F/n)—" Namjoon grunted.

"I..."

"Y-Your armor is heavy!" Namjoon could barely get it out. It must have felt like a lot of weight on him since he wasn't used to this. Immediately, you rolled off him and stared up at the roof in embarrassment. He took in a large breath of air, regaining his composure. "Why? Why do you have to wear something that heavy when you're that small?"

"It's in order to protect you." It was obvious in your opinion, but Namjoon didn't seem to like it. He closed his eyes tightly for a few seconds. They soon opened as he turned his head to stare at you.

"I didn't mean to pull you back like that," He admitted as you nodded.

"I figured as much, my King." You sighed.

"Namjoon," He corrected without hesitation.

"Right, Namjoon." You smiled, looking back up at the ceiling.

Somehow that reassured you that you weren't in any kind of trouble. He still wants you referring to him by his first name. Even though it was wrong of you to call him by his name, you enjoyed it. It felt nice being able to get close to him like this. Joking around without worries and saying 'Namjoon' as much as you pleased. It was almost as if he wasn't King when the two of you talked and you weren't his angel. It was just the two of you as people. Yet you knew better than to get too comfortable. He is your King. Immediately sitting up from the bed, you were tense while Namjoon stared at you in confusion. You got up so suddenly without saying a word.

"What's wrong?" Namjoon asked.

"It's not right...for me to lay next to you like this." You cleared your throat in embarrassment. He wouldn't accept your words if you had said anything about calling him by his real name. You're getting too comfortable. Namjoon only stared at you, making you feel awkward in front of him. "An unmarried woman shouldn't be in bed with a man especially if that man is the King. People might get the wrong idea..."

"Which people?" Namjoon looked around before meeting his eyes with yours. He had a serious expression that silently told you not to make a problem out of nothing. But it was wrong. "I'm not married either...well...soon to be."

"It's best if I go," You mumbled, ready to stand up only for Namjoon to shake his head. He sat up, motioning his head for you to sit down next to him.

Why wasn't he letting you go to the angels already? Earlier, he was ready to let you go. Then the whole braid thing happened and now this. You stayed frozen in your spot only for Namjoon to give you a cold stare. Moving at his order, you sat down next to Namjoon like he wanted. Instead of looking at you or down at his lap, he kept his eyes straight forward. There was nothing there for him to see besides a painting of a mountain hanging on the wall. You stared at Namjoon as you waited for him to start speaking again. It was fun to be his company until you didn't know what to do with yourself like now.

"I'm going to be getting married to Lady Eunchae and I barely remember anything about her," Namjoon spoke softly. "I originally didn't want to marry her, but I'm not so sure anymore. Am I doing it for my Eomeoni? The nation? I would be lying if I said I didn't like the idea of marriage and producing an heir."

"From the sound of it...I think you were originally doing it for the former Queen, but now you might be doing it for yourself." You smiled as he chuckled. "It makes me happy that you're looking forward to marrying Lady Eunchae. That is a step in the right direction in creating a joyful marriage with Lady Eunchae."

"Do you believe so?" Namjoon turned to you hopefully. He watched you nod enthusiastically, allowing him to let out a breath. "I fear speaking this openly with Seungwon yet I feel free with you, (F/n). I won't take that for granted anymore."

"Thank you..." You were touched by his words. You freed him?

"I feel so nervous as the idea of asking for Lady Eunchae's hand in marriage. What if her Abeoji, my Samchon, says no? If she is unpleased with me in any sort of way..." Namjoon frowned. He ran a hand through his hair, stopping midway to sigh heavily. You understood what he meant by feeling free with you. He could be more vulnerable with you.

"I'm certain he will say yes. His daughter will become Queen of the nation. How could anyone deny that position?" You shrugged. "I also highly doubt she would be unpleased by you, my King. You're incredibly intelligent and handsome."

"You're only flattering me because I'm King." Namjoon shook his head. He was used to people bending backwards for him and having sycophants anywhere he went in the palace. You scooted closer to the King, staring him straight in the eye. Namjoon blinked at you, uncertain where you were going with this.

"I mean it," You stated firmly. "There is no one else in the world who I would rather have as King. Lady Eunchae is a lucky woman to marry you, Namjoon. At that point she has the world."

"...you're embarrassing." Namjoon had to look away. Your strong stare eventually became gentle as you smiled at him. Every word you said was true and Namjoon could sense that. He tugged on his robe, wondering why he suddenly felt so warm. He couldn't bring himself to look at you, feeling a drum inside his chest. Namjoon noted to himself to talk to Seungwon about Lady Eunchae as he cleared his throat. "But thank you, (F/n)."

"Always, Namjoon."


	10. Blessing

Ch.9

Namjoon's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This was important and I couldn't figure it out. My mind continued to linger on the events of last night. (F/n) was alone with me until I finally let her leave. Though she didn't say it, it was obvious on her face. She was worried what the other angels would say about her staying with me for so long. The servants were sent away so it would be just us two. We're both clearly inexperienced so there was no reason for her to worry. Not that I ever planned on changing that with her. That did get me thinking though as she left me to sleep in my chamber. We have one last day before we leave for Lady Eunchae and there was one important thing I was lacking on.

I had all the gifts anyone could ever ask for. They were safely placed in the wagon, ready to be revealed for her and my uncle. They would catch her eye immediately. Then there was also the reasoning that I'm the King of Goguryeo and she could become my Queen with a simple yes. (F/n) said that was a title no one could resist and I had to agree. People are power craving creatures so I trusted that I would get Lady Eunchae's hand with that at least. Getting her to accept my proposal was no longer my main worry when it came to her though. It was the fact that my mother's last wish came with a second part. Producing an heir.

In that moment with (F/n), I quickly realized I knew nothing about women. I knew enough that they were anatomically different. From my viewpoint, they were a lot more sensitive and kinder. Gentle yet strong and dangerous at the snap of a finger. Then again, the seven women I grew up with are like a small army so I assume they're different from most women. It was obvious they didn't share the same qualities as the palace women. Pacing around my wing, I waited impatiently for Seungwon to arrive. I told a servant to request his presence for me. There was something important for the two of us to discuss. My burning question.

Pressing my thumb to my bottom lip, I tried to figure out a way to properly ask this question to Seungwon. There was a messy way in my head and then the straight forward version. Both were equally embarrassing to ask. Though we were both men, it hit my pride for that exact reason. I hoped that he wouldn't tease me. It was the one time I wanted his respect as King rather than have him treat me as a simple friend. I took in a large breath when I heard the chief eunuch announce Seungwon's presence. Tensing up, I faced the doors as naturally as I could. They opened wide for Seungwon before closing for our privacy.

"Calling for my presence so soon?" Seungwon chuckled as he bowed. He took his time making his way over to me and I wondered if he saw me gulp. "I take it that something is wrong. Today's the last day before you leave with the angels tomorrow morning for the journey. Does it happen to be about that?"

"You're sharp as ever," I grumbled. Seungwon smirked, amused by my less than pleased attitude.

"What worries you, my King?" Seungwon was getting too comfortable. He took a seat as I took a few steps towards him. How dare he make me walk towards him? He's supposed to come to me. I huffed in annoyance, but he continued to grin in my face. "What must I advise you on today?"

"I need advice..." I started, but I couldn't finish it. My throat closed up so suddenly that I was forced to stay silent. Why was it so hard to say? Seungwon raised a brow at me, tilting his head to the side. It's like he enjoyed what was going on even though he didn't have a clue on what I wanted help with. This was too embarrassing. "...on...women—"

"Women!" Seungwon almost jumped out of his seat. I immediately shushed him, not wanting servants to overhear our conversation. The last thing I needed was this spreading around the palace for the entertainment of my servants. They could be painfully nosy concerning personal royal affairs. "Women? Really? Why is that? Because you'll be traveling with them—?"

"No, I don't care about traveling with my angels." I sat in the chair across from him. My body collapsed into it, letting him know how I felt. I wanted to sink into the ground and be eaten up rather than have this conversation. I should have just went to the library and found out myself. "It's about...Lady Eunchae."

"Oh...I think I understand." Seungwon rubbed his chin, thinking to himself. I didn't want him thinking too hard. It would just be easier if I came out with it already.

"How...I need to...Seungwon, help me!" I pleaded desperately. He looked up at me, his brows furrowing at the way I was acting. I'm typically not such a mess in front of him. I'm calm and collected, but this had me pulling at my hair.

"Well I can't help if I'm not certain on what you're asking," He said as I groaned. There was no way around it.

"P-Producing an heir...how does one do that?" I couldn't look him in the eye. I couldn't even begin to imagine the expression Seungwon would carry on his face. "I suppose I had a short lecture on that from my Abeoji before he passed, but I wasn't paying attention. Now...I truly desire that information." Silence filled my chamber as I looked back at him. He was taken aback by my words, making me suffer from the change in mood.

"This, my King...this is unexpected." Seungwon was stunned.

"Just call me Namjoon! It feels worse if you call me that!" I complained, not knowing what I truly wanted. I thought it would be better if he treated me like a King. That was quickly holding up to be untrue.

"So you don't know how sex works? I can assure you, Namjoon, that you've come to the right place." Seungwon leaned back comfortably in his chair. He was already oozing confidence that caused me to be suspicious. Why did he seemed to be enjoying himself? It had to be because he enjoyed my embarrassment. "Now what I mention here with you does not leave your lips. Understand?"

"I suppose I do?" I blinked at him cluelessly. He continued to puzzle me as he prepared himself to speak. A smirk grew on his lips as he leaned close to me, lowering his voice.

"Hwayoung and I have had our moments," Seungwon whispered proudly. My eyes widened, staring at him in shock. He chuckled and was quick to continue before I could say anything else. "We were extremely careful! I had to buy some suspicious products, but they seemed successful. As you can see...Hwayoung is not baring a child."

"You...you and Hwayoung have—? And you're telling me this now!?" I jumped onto my feet in outrage. Seungwon sighed, quick to shove me back in my seat. He stayed standing with his hands on my shoulders. "I thought you told me everything that ever occurred between my shadow and you!"

"Almost everything," Seungwon corrected. I glared at him only for his grip to tighten around my shoulders. "And I did so for good reason, Namjoon. Hwayoung and I aren't bound by marriage and if it were ever to slip, how do you think that would go for her? A woman? Hwayoung's Abeoji would try to kill her, her and her family's reputation would be tainted. All the blame would go to her and the guilt would eat me up."

"Then...why risk it at all?" I felt his hands loosen on me. He start to stare off at nothing in his own thoughts as he sighed.

"Because...I do want to marry her, Namjoon. I intend to and actually that is something I've been wanting to bring up with you." Seungwon became nervous. He brought his arms close to his chest, moving his sleeves around. "You've witnessed my love for her grow with every passing second. Though your parents wouldn't have approved, I wanted to know if Hwayoung and I could get your blessing to marry. After you marry Lady Eunchae."

"My blessing?" I blinked at Seungwon. It took me by surprise yet it was something I should have expected. Seungwon stared at me with a look I've never seen in his eyes before. My respect grew for my friend and I felt sympathy for his situation. Whoever is the eldest child in his family becomes the advisor for the Crown Prince. For the angels, the eldest daughter becomes the Crown Prince's guardian angel. That was always the argument Seungwon would bring up to me whenever I insisted he just marry Hwayoung anyway. My parents were strict with tradition. If their first born were a girl, it would ruin the tradition. It was a weak one though, I'll admit. I began to nod my head, watching Seungwon drop down to his knees. "You have my blessing, Seungwon. I'll allow your marriage with Hwayoung and no one can go against my word."

"Thank you..." Seungwon kept his head down. Smiling softly at my friend, I was happy for him. He had someone he passionately loved. I wondered if I could ever feel that way about someone. For Lady Eunchae. It was hard to even fathom myself being in love.

"Raise your head, Seungwon. Bowing like this doesn't suit you," I said with a chuckle. Seungwon stayed down though, his fingers digging into his knees.

"Not yet, my King. I have one last final request..." Seungwon lifted his head. I was taken aback to see him close to tears. The conversation had taken a different turn from what I originally intended. It left me speechless, allowing him to speak freely. "Being a guardian angel is incredibly dangerous. Especially since my Hwayoung is a shadow. I selfishly ask for you to release her after the return...I don't want her fighting for much longer. I tried to accept it and not break too many traditions besides the plan of marriage, but I can't. I want to leave the capital with Hwayoung and live a peaceful life, my King..."

"...that is a lot to take in," I said to myself. It was one thing to ask for the marriage and now it was the favor of releasing Hwayoung as my shadow. I would be losing an advisor if I accepted. A best friend. My son would be short one angel and he would have no royal advisor by his side. Pursing my lips, I connected my eyes with Seungwon's again. "That is something I'll have to consider."

"Of course, my King. I apologize for asking so much of you. I acknowledge my selfish behavior." Seungwon stood up as I sighed. In all honesty, I was being selfish as well. I wanted to claim their unborn children and have them serve my own unborn. By the time I return with Lady Eunchae, I'll have an answer for Seungwon. Hopefully by then I can understand his request that was fueled by love.

"There is no need to apologize." I shook my head.

Seungwon nodded as he took a seat again. It was clear that he felt awkward after everything he said. It still took me by shock, but I didn't want to deny Seungwon of happiness. I needed to think on it. Figure out a way to get a new line of advisors and another family for angels. That will be hard, but that was a possibility. I just didn't want Seungwon stressing over the situation. The last thing I wanted was for our friendship to suffer over this. The atmosphere must have felt different to him, but I was comfortable. Giving him a friendly smile, I noticed Seungwon beginning to relax again.

"Tell me what it's like to be in love. Why it has you acting like this and such." I waited patiently as he seemed stuck on my question.

"To be in love...I'm not sure if there are words to describe it, Namjoon." Seungwon chuckled, unable to remove the grin on his face. I tilted my head curiously at him. This feeling was a strong one. Different from the love between friends and parents to their children. I badly wanted to know what it was like. "All I know is that it can make you feel invincible at times. Other times it leaves you broken down and with nothing. I'm happy with Hwayoung as you know, but our relationship is hidden. There is so much that goes into being in love. Hwayoung...she is my flower. I see her as a beautiful delicate flower that I must protect. Though she could defeat more enemies than I ever could, she is able to show her weak side to me. I hate seeing her get hurt and wish to protect her from everything that could harm her in this world which I know is impossible...but that doesn't mean I won't try. Love can consume you and change you. Love changes lives. It leads to lives being born and some being lost...I don't believe humans will ever have a proper explanation of this feeling." Seungwon nodded to himself.

"Sounds a bit scary." I leaned back in my seat. Suddenly, I felt overwhelmed by the concept. Taking in a breath, I allowed a few things to stay with me. He thinks highly of her, feels invincible yet broken down at times, and can't stand the idea of her being hurt despite her being able to protect herself. It felt so complicated. "Well...I guess we can return to what I asked you here for."

"About sex."

"Don't say it like that!" My face flushed while he laughed softly at my reaction. Seungwon is lucky that he is my friend. Crossing my arms, I sank in my seat as I waited for him to get started with the lesson already.

*~*

Today was the last day at the palace. You weren't quite sure how you felt about it. This would be the first time you ever left it longer than a day. Anywhere the King goes is where you go and he basically locked himself up in his old wing. Things are certainly changing a lot now that Namjoon has become King. Of course, all for the better. Namjoon didn't have confidence in himself in the beginning and he almost didn't want the position to begin with. As days went on, you could see him growing more comfortable with what life has given him. It may not always be convenient for him, but Namjoon is going to be an amazing King. You have no doubt about that.

You also can't wait to properly meet Lady Eunchae. She's going to be your Queen soon enough so you'll make sure to treat her kindly. Hopefully Namjoon and her grow to love each other instead of feeling like their relationship is only to continue the pure bloodline. You wished nothing but the best for the soon to be couple. They would be meeting in a matter of weeks and it was thrilling to think about. Everything was ready for tomorrow so all the angels were taking it easy today. That meant all seven of you were messing around in the practice yard. Essentially doing everything but practicing.

"But can you do this?" Jeonghwa took a running start before doing multiple flips. Heeyeon scoffed, removing the sword from her belt.

"Yah! Did you forget who taught you?" Heeyeon stretched her arms. "Make room!"

"Please show me, Unnie!" Jeonghwa giggled.

"Don't get hurt!" Solji sighed. She was one of the only few sitting instead of joining in on the chaos. Hyojin sat next to her in the shade, sharpening her sword and cleaning it. Solji scooted away, slightly uncomfortable.

"Do you think I'm going to hurt you?" Hyojin scoffed. "This is for killing anyone who tries to go near our King!"

"I'm hoping for no blood the entire trip." Hyelin shrugged as she walked up on the balcony fence. She balanced herself easily, walking back and forth. She could probably do it with her eyes closed.

"I agree." Hwayoung nodded.

"A safe trip with the King and future Queen." You smiled.

That sounded perfect. By a safe trip, you meant in general. Avoiding thieves and enemies was important too, but it was still winter. It was currently transitioning to spring, but it didn't feel like it. Days could get cold but luckily the weather was never too awful here in the capital. You can't say the same for the journey that awaits all of you. The journey involves going through the mountains which you know can be a bit harsh. You're prepared for whatever is going to come your way. Nothing is going to harm your King. Happy with your own determination, you walked with Hwayoung towards the other end of the courtyard. Seeing Jeonghwa and Heeyeon do flips was sparking your own competitive side.

"Can you do any flips?" You asked. Hwayoung paused to look at you, furrowing her brows.

"Are you actually trying to start something?" Hwayoung's lips twitched.

"I know you act serious in front of all of them, but it won't hurt to do some flips with me." You started to remove the sword from your belt. "Unless you can't do them."

"You're asking for it." Hwayoung reminded, removing her own sword.

This was a success in your own eyes. Normally Hwayoung stays expressionless and stiff around the other angels. There was only a handful of times she showed some sort of playfulness towards them. As long as she wasn't scolded for having fun with you then she would allow herself to relax. No one else was here in the yard besides the angels. They were all doing their own thing anyway. Kicking your sword to the side, you gave Hwayoung a nod. You would be going first and then she could go after you. It was your intention to show off as much as you could. Hwayoung crossed her arms, keeping her expectations high as you prepared yourself.

The two of you played like this until your bodies were begging to sit down. Hwayoung took a few steps towards you before letting her own body collapse next to yours. Doing flips was one thing. Doing it in heavy armor was another. You were surprised you could still go through the air like that. All you needed was some extra power in your legs. Now you were on the floor panting and staring up at the sky with Hwayoung next to you. Today was going pretty well in your eyes. Chuckling tiredly, you had a large smile on your face meanwhile Hwayoung stared at the sky blankly.

"Did you die?" You joked, nudging her only to receive a sharp glare from her.

"I'm resting! Isn't it obvious?" Hwayoung huffed.

"I guess I'll accept that." You sighed. Right away, Hwayoung nudged you and pretended she didn't. You wanted to wrestle her, but unfortunately you were too tired. Maybe in a few minutes you'll consider it again. "So...we're leaving in the early morning."

"We are..."

"I'm thrilled and a bit nervous. How do you feel?" You questioned, expecting a similar response from her. Something quick that didn't take much thought though she hesitated, her lips tempted to tug down.

"It is for the King, so my thoughts and feelings are irrelevant," Hwayoung said. Your brows jumped to hear this coming from her. A typical comment from her yet you knew something was wrong.

"What? No! That is untrue." You turned on your side to face her. "What is it, Hwayoung?"

"It's trivial." Hwayoung sighed. Frowning at her words, you continued to pester her until she spoke truthfully. The rest of the girls were much farther away from you two. They wouldn't hear her and you would keep it secret. Hwayoung chewed on the bottom of her lip before she finally faced you. "I'm going to miss Seungwon. We haven't been apart for that long and I fear something may go wrong between us in that time."

"Wrong how?" You saw how much this was bothering her in her eyes.

"What if he finds someone prettier? I don't know...I told you that it was stupid." Hwayoung pouted.

"It's only _stupid_ because there's no one else prettier than you in this entire nation!" You jabbed her chest. Hwayoung managed to laugh, smiling shyly from your compliment. She covered her face with her hands, not wanting you to mention her blushing face.

"Thank you, (F/n)." Hwayoung's cheeks were bright pink. "I still need to talk to him before I leave. In all honesty, (F/n)...I believe I'll get to marry Seungwon. He's the one...or do I sound crazy?" Hwayoung worried as you shook your head immediately.

"Not at all! Seungwon and you have been lovers for years now. The two of you give me faith in finding love." You giggled to see her get embarrassed even further. "Now that Namjoon is King, I'm sure you'll be able to marry Seungwon without problems." You assured her, hoping to see her smile. Except Hwayoung stared at you as if you told her you were planning a rebellion. It wasn't clear until you realized your mistake. You addressed the King by name. "I-I didn't mean to say—"

"You are lucky you said his name near me." Hwayoung sat up, pursing her lips. "You may have received a punishment from the other angels. All you get from me is a warning."

"Yes, it is my mistake...I have no idea how that slipped..." You lowered your head. Hwayoung nodded as she let it be forgotten this once. No one is allowed to address the King by his name. It's been so heavily drilled into your heads and now you make this mistake? You could tell Hwayoung was thrown off by it, but it was generous of her to not say much on it. She stood up and retrieved her sword while you stayed on the ground. That was a close one.

You were a bit more quiet after that. It was the first time your friendship with the King ever put you in danger. Back when you were a little kid, saying the King's name would get you slapped. The punishments were relatively tame, but now that you're older then you won't be spared much mercy. It is incredibly disrespectful and the last thing you want is for Namjoon to feel guilty if you receive any sort of punishment. You'll take it willingly. It was easy for you to say that, but Namjoon wouldn't take it as so. He still found it strange how passionate the angels could be. Not everyone has seven people ready to die for them at any moment.

Eventually a palace woman made her way to the practice yard. She was careful as she looked around, avoiding getting in the way of others. Her eyes soon spotted you which caused her to sigh in relief. She quickly motioned you to come over. The rest of the angels continued with their activities, mainly fighting for fun. Jeonghwa and Hyelin were wrestling while Heeyeon was taking a break to eat. You stood up to make your way to the servant. You already had a feeling on what she was going to say now that it was well past noon. Namjoon made a request early in the morning for him to be left in privacy with Seungwon. That's why no angel was with him, so you figured their meeting had finally ended.

"Angel (F/n), the King awaits your presence in his wing." She bowed.

"Thank you." You nodded, walking with her to Namjoon's wing. She followed you all the way before joining the rest of the servants who waited outside his room. The chief eunuch announced your name, the doors opening for you to enter as usual. It was the same thing, but one thing was different.

Namjoon wasn't in the room.

You turned around to see the doors were already closed. Namjoon called you? Was he truly in here? Looking back to the center of the room, you couldn't see his figure hiding behind any of the curtains. He wasn't seated at his throne and there were no sounds in the room. Carefully stepping further into the room, you weren't sure whether you should ask the servants outside or continue to search. You turned to face the side room where Namjoon's bed was. Maybe he was over there? You only took a step forward when you saw Namjoon finally came out.

"My King! I have arrived at your request." You bowed immediately. He appeared so suddenly that you were a bit startled. What felt stranger was when he didn't say anything. Did you say something wrong? Just as you were lifting your head, you saw him turning back around. "Namjoon!" You straightened up, running over to him. You entered the side room with Namjoon's back facing you. "Is something wrong? What may I help with?"

"Ah...it's nothing." Namjoon let his head hang down. Your brows only knitted together at the way he was acting. You were unsure whether he was possibly feeling sick or upset at something. He rubbed his face with his hands, muffling his voice as he spoke. "Do you want to take a walk outside with me?"

"A walk?" You stared at him with big eyes. A smile appeared on your lips as you nodded at him. "I would love that, Namjoon."

"Perfect! I could use some air..." Namjoon sighed, finally allowing you to see his face. You noticed his cheeks were a bit pink. Was he sick? He cleared his throat as he headed towards the doors. Holding back the urge to ask, you followed him over there.

The doors opened with one simple request from him. All his servants bowed as he walked out of his chamber. None of them lifted themselves up or dared speaking without permission. Trailing behind Namjoon, you went down the stairs with him. He wanted to go for a walk around the palace. It made you wonder if he wanted to go along the palace walls or if he had a specific place in mind. By the looks of it, he seemed to have a place he wanted to go to. His strides were long and impatient for some reason. Picking up the pace, you made sure to keep up with him. His long legs were making this 'walk' into a jog and you didn't know if you were allowed to bring it up.

Namjoon was walking in a way where you felt he was trying to lose someone. Did he really want you on this walk with him? He went down another set of stone stairs as you scurried down with him. Slowly you were putting two and two together. The further the two of you walked, you realized he was bringing you to the old pond. The area was secluded so that was giving Namjoon and you the privacy you assumed he wanted. Panting lightly, you didn't mean to get tired so easily, but your legs were still killing you from the flips. You ignored it, trying your best to keep up with the King. Unfortunately your pace was noticed by him. Namjoon looked over his shoulder to see you walking at a less than acceptable pace.

"S-Sorry," You started only for Namjoon to grab your wrist. He didn't say anything at all. He had only pursed his lips before bringing you to the old pond. He eventually let you go and sighed heavily.

"I apologize for bringing you here so abruptly." Namjoon stared off at the pond. "It was tiring staying in that room all the time. I just needed air..."

"Did your meeting with the young master go well?" You asked. The mention of Seungwon almost made Namjoon cough. His face turned a darker shade of red, stiffening up in front of you.

"Oh, right. Yes! Very informative and I received the knowledge I needed..." Namjoon swallowed hard.

"That is good to hear, my King!" You grinned. It almost made you wonder what exactly those two discussed. Namjoon pushed aside a strand of hair from his face as he faced you.

"Calling me by my title?" Namjoon frowned. "Though outside, we are in private."

"Ah, yes." You couldn't help lowering your head in embarrassment. "You see, I made a mistake in front of Hwayoung."

"What kind of mistake?" Namjoon crossed his arms.

"I called you by your name in front of her. Luckily not in front of the others, but I foolishly let my guard down." You stared down at your feet. "Hwayoung decided to give me a warning, but I may face a punishment if I do it again. That being said...I am a bit paranoid."

"No."

"...no?" You didn't know what to say. He said that so quickly, leaving you addled by how strong he felt about it. You carefully raised your head to meet his eyes the moment you heard him coming closer. The King had a cold expression on his face, making you stay quiet without being told.

"You will receive no punishment," Namjoon stated firmly. He didn't look it, but there was aggression in his voice. A protective tone that even he didn't know he was capable of. "No one lay's a hand on my shadow. No one."

"...you are too generous, my King." You rubbed your arm.

"Namjoon." He continued to give you that look that made you feel see through. Biting your lip, you nodded so he could relax. Namjoon allowed his shoulders to go down now that he made it clear. You were under his protection which felt ironic. Weren't you supposed to be the one protecting him? Though you appreciated the sentiment, you would rather take the punishment than possibly make the situation worse. The rest of the angels weren't aware of your relationship with Namjoon. They didn't know he practically hated you and they don't know about this friendship. Hwayoung barely knows the half of it. Sighing to yourself, you stayed by the King's side.

Namjoon started walking with his arms behind his back. He didn't say anything, but he expected you to follow him. He didn't even want to think about the punishments you could receive. They were harsh. A lot crueler than a slap in the face. You would take them, but it looks like you had no say. You suppose it was nothing to complain about. The less blood you lose, the better. As the two of you slowly walked around the area, you couldn't stop yourself from frowning. This place felt so run down. You really didn't like how it looked. Just as you were about to walk over the bridge with Namjoon, you noticed a beautiful flower. Glancing over at Namjoon, you quickly picked the flower before jogging to meet him in the middle of the bridge.

"Namjoon! Hold still!" You grinned as he paused. The male began to turn around, eyes widening to see you running straight towards him. You got so close that Namjoon froze completely. He stayed still as you stood less than a foot away from him, going on your toes. You didn't think much of it as you raised your right hand towards his ear while your left rested on his shoulder to steady yourself. Namjoon gulped in confusion until he felt you tuck something behind his ear. Soon you went back down on your feet, smiling brightly at him. "It fits you well!"

"Fits?" Namjoon hovered his hand near his ear as he stepped toward the railing of the bridge. He looked down at the water below the bridge to stare at his reflection. That's when he saw the flower you placed on him, his face turning red. "A flower? Is this to mock me?" He stepped away from the rail to frown at you.

"Why would I ever want to do that?" You asked, seeing Namjoon get tongue tied immediately. He bit his lip as soon as he realized you were telling the truth. You would never do such a thing. Namjoon was flustered the longer you looked at him for an actual answer.

"I-If not that then..." Namjoon rubbed the back of his neck.

"Because I thought it would look nice on you," You simply stated with a shrug.

"Well, I'm sure it would look better on you." Namjoon brought his hands up to his ear only to see you step away from him.

"No! That flower is specifically for you." You held your hands ups to create some space between the two of you. You weren't going to let him place that flower anywhere near you. Luckily your words got him to hesitate and think about it. Eventually his hands went back by his sides as he looked around.

"Stay here," Namjoon said.

Raising a brow, you opened your mouth to ask questions, but he was already walking away. He left the bridge in a hurry which automatically had you paranoid. You're supposed to be right by his side. This faintly reminded you of the times when he was a few years younger. The two of you were seventeen and he would order you to stay where you are. He used that multiple times just to escape you which got him and you scolded a lot. He did that with the rest of the angels except for Solji. You'll wait another minute and if he's not back by then...you'll search for him. You counted in your head before seeing the King running. He hurried onto the bridge, making his way over to you with a large smile on his face. Namjoon came to a stop as he stood in front of you, panting heavily.

"Where did you go?" You blinked at him.

"That isn't important right now." Namjoon caught his breath as he showed you a flower in his hand. Its petals were slightly flattened causing the smile on his face to fall. "Oh..."

"Did you get a flower for me too?" You were touched. Smiling back at Namjoon, he took a second to see how happy you actually were.

"It's a little flat..." Namjoon mumbled, embarrassed that he crushed it a little bringing it over to you.

"It's the thought that counts." You shrugged. You were grateful he would get you one in the first place. He didn't have to go out of his way to search for one here. Namjoon fidgeted with the flower for a bit before leaning down close to your face. Holding your breath, you watched him carefully place it behind your ear. You quietly admired his strong features, noting how strange you were feeling inside. Having him so close like this was making you struggle to have a single thought. Namjoon pulled away as soon as it was set.

"I think you're the real flower." Namjoon chuckled at first until it occurred to him on how that sounded. The two of you turned were burning, fidgeting and feeling strange. You didn't know what was going on with you. Your heart wouldn't stop pounding against your chest as if you ran across the entire nation. Namjoon placed his hand on his own chest before convincing himself not to worry about it. He cleared his throat, quick to change the subject. "Ah, good. You're wearing the hairpin."

"Of course, Namjoon." You bowed. "I'm still thankful for the gift and now for the flower too."

"I'm happy to hear that." Namjoon slowly brought his hand out to the small of your back. He gently brought you closer to his side, continuing the walk. You hummed to yourself without much thought. The King walked with you, keeping his hand on your lower back. He didn't understand why it took some convincing for him to stop touching you. Eventually he put his hand away as the two of you made your way back to his wing.

Spending time with Namjoon was fun and interesting as always. You enjoyed his company a lot though you had to admit that things have been throwing you off on the occasion. Little things that you didn't know how to react to. They were completely new and it almost scared you which said a lot. Unknown feelings terrifying you more than death? It was almost laughable yet you couldn't bring yourself to mention it to Namjoon. Every time you thought about mentioning it to him, your chest became tight and it was almost painful. You were suddenly nervous until you assured yourself that you actually weren't going to say anything. How strange is that?

It's a good thing Namjoon is good at making you comfortable. Time went by and the next thing you know, the sun was going down. Just as it was beginning to set, Namjoon let all his servants go. He would be fine for the rest of the night. His last night sleeping comfortably in his wing. The two of you talked a lot about the journey. There was so much to discuss! Namjoon worried about the length of the trip, if there was truly enough supply, and for when the time comes to meet Lady Eunchae. You calmed him down since you knew that all the angels have worked together to make sure this trip goes as smoothly as possible. The King had nothing to worry about. He'll be marrying Lady Eunchae before he knows it.

By the time the sun was down you were ready to go back to the angel's quarters. You were tired and it was best for you to sleep with how early you'll be getting up tomorrow. You need to be on high alert the second you guys take the King out of his palace. Even with your explanation, Namjoon kept trying to make you stay longer with him. He complained about how he couldn't sleep and wanted a friend to talk to. You did your best to keep him company for a little longer, but you were yawning and close to falling over. It didn't help that you were seated on his bed with him either.

"I really have to go now..." You opened your eyes wide, hoping they wouldn't shut tight again.

"Why don't you stay here for the night? There is an extra bed for a shadow to sleep on," Namjoon suggested as you shook your head.

"Not without notice. I...I don't want the others worrying about me." You yawned only to feel arms wrap around you. Squeaking, you were pulled down onto the bed so suddenly. Namjoon grinned at you while you were less than pleased.

"This time I did it on purpose." Namjoon smirked. "Stay, (F/n)," He whispered into your ear. A shiver ran down your spine and you weren't sure you liked the feeling of this. You're his angel.

"Your Majesty." You pushed yourself up, your body wanting to lay back down. He stared at you with a frown as you forced yourself all the way up. "I wish you a goodnight, my King. I'll be seeing you early in the morning tomorrow so please rest. We have a long journey ahead of us."

"Indeed we do..." Namjoon sighed heavily as he watched you leave. The King's chamber felt empty now even with him still in it. He let his head fall back on his pillow, not knowing what came over him.

You figured the King was only feeling lonely. In the short amount of time that you've been friends with the King, you've quickly discovered how needy he is. You couldn't really blame Namjoon with the way he was raised. So many people constantly at his feet. He gets practically anything he wants too. Very different from your own childhood. It was something that took you a bit of adjusting to. From not wanting you anywhere near him to refusing to let you leave. At least you're finally performing your fate. Tiredly walking through the dark palace, you were quiet as you made your way towards the angel quarter. That was until you heard a sound. Like something brushing against tall grass.

Ignoring your tired state, you were quick to place your hand on your sword. Was someone watching you? Carefully turning around, you stayed alert as your eyes adjusted to the dark. The sound came from the opposite direction you were going to. The urge to sleep was strong, but this could be dangerous. A majority of the guards were outside the palace walls or on top. There didn't appear to be any guards near here so you took it upon yourself to follow the sound. Your footsteps were muted as you went in the direction, finding yourself back at the old pond. You stayed in the dark when you noticed light. Someone was holding a small lantern.

It covered their face for a few seconds until they lowered it. The light illuminated to their face, but a majority of them stayed in the dark. That's when you tensed up at the familiar face. Hwayoung. What is she doing out here so late like this? She should be in bed at the angel's quarters. Sticking close to the wall, you furrowed your brows as another figure made their way over to her. You couldn't tell who it was until they walked closer to Hwayoung. Once the light hit their face, you were able to recognize them as Seungwon. He must have been the one who caused the bushes to rustle. Hwayoung knows better than to make sloppy mistakes like that.

"You came alone?" Hwayoung spoke softly.

"I did. I made sure to be quiet...I'm glad you came like I had asked." Seungwon smiled. Hwayoung seemed flustered, glancing away from him.

"Of course." She nodded, connecting eyes with him again. "What is it that is so urgent? That we have to speak like this?"

"Namjoon...I asked him for his blessing," Seungwon started. Hwayoung's eyes widened, her grip tightening on the lantern. Blessing? You stayed close to a small stone wall with your heart racing. "I want to marry you, Hwayoung. He knows that and he gave us his blessing. We're allowed to marry after him and Lady Eunchae have their own ceremony."

"We...have his blessing?" Hwayoung looked down at her feet. She seemed choked up and you were in shock yourself. Clinging tighter onto the wall, you didn't know how to feel. Namjoon gave them his blessing? That's amazing! You were so happy for them and yet...this still felt so off. This was a personal moment between them and you were intruding. You couldn't get yourself to leave. "I can't believe we can actually get married..."

"It's a miracle." Seungwon grinned. Right away, Hwayoung rushed to kiss him on the lips and hug him. The two swayed for a few seconds before Hwayoung pulled away. She blinked at her lover curiously as he stayed silent.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Hwayoung frowned. "Did he give us a condition to follow? It sounds too good to be true." Seungwon grabbed Hwayoung's free hand, squeezing it gently.

"He gave us his blessing with no condition," Seungwon stated, his smile slowly beginning to fade. "But I made a request that was hard for the King to decide on." Hwayoung's brows knitted together, lost at what he was saying. "I asked him to release us of our duties after we marry. I will no longer be his advisor and you no longer his shadow. We'll leave the capital as well to live a peaceful life together—"

"Seungwon, no. I told you no about that—" Hwayoung started shaking her head, only for Seungwon to grab her by the shoulders.

"Being a shadow is dangerous, Hwayoung! It would kill me if anything happened to you and I refuse to let that even be a possibility the second you become my wife." Seungwon gritted his teeth. His voice was desperate for her to understand. You were at a loss for words just like Hwayoung. For different reasons though. While she was doing her best to understand his stance, you felt like you had been kicked in the face by a horse. He asked to be released of his title and for Hwayoung too? It's their fate though! She can't stop being a guardian angel! "We have to wait for him to accept our release. He hasn't yet..."

"Do you really not want me to be an angel for the King?" Hwayoung asked as Seungwon took in a deep breath.

"I don't want that life for you anymore. We'll wait to see if he accepts and then we can leave in the dark of night without saying a word to anyone else..." Seungwon clutched Hwayoung tightly. "You can't say anything to the other angels. Not even (F/n). Understand?"

"But...what if he doesn't accept?" Hwayoung frowned.

"We will still runaway. We will live far from the capital and live out a modest life where we won't be caught." Seungwon enjoyed his thoughts. You were shaking your head in the dark, not liking the words that were leaving him. He couldn't possibly be serious. Hwayoung looked conflicted, her eyes stuck on the ground. That's when Seungwon placed his hand on her cheek to bring her into a soft kiss. "What do you say?"

"Say no. Hwayoung, no," You whispered in the faintest voice. Your stare was hard as you balled up your fists. She let her face rest against Seungwon's hand, her eyes slowly meeting his.

"I love you...so I hope he accepts. I will have a cleaner conscious then," Hwayoung said, making your heart drop. She accepted? "I really do want to marry you and be happy. I would love living a quiet life with you."

"Really? I'm thrilled to hear it!" Seungwon embraced her tightly.

The two stayed in each other's arms while you forced your body to move. Quietly leaving the area, you made sure you were in the clear before running towards the quarters. Hwayoung is going to leave no matter what? You couldn't believe it. This couldn't actually be happening. Panting heavily as you arrived in front of the quarters, you took a second to pause. Should you mention this to the other angels? You looked over your shoulder only to be met with darkness. It wasn't your place. If Namjoon agrees to release them then what can any of you say that won't be against his word? You just hope they know what they're doing. If fate connected them then...what else was there left to say?


	11. Start of a Journey

Ch.10

It was a miracle that you were able to sleep at all. After witnessing the exchange between Hwayoung and Seungwon, you stopped yawning entirely. You felt wide awake from the shock. It was one thing to hear that Hwayoung and Seungwon were allowed to marry and another thing to hear that they were planning on running away together. With the King's permission or not. It left you feeling so baffled. It didn't make sense to you on why Hwayoung would actually accept that. It also left you stunned that Seungwon would even suggest such a thing in the first place. Was Hwayoung actually going to keep it a secret? Or would she eventually reveal it to you? Only time would tell. For now you were left with watching how things play out.

Exhaustion eventually put you to sleep. You could have slept until the afternoon, but that wasn't possible. Today was the day the angels left the palace with the King for the month long journey. Everyone in the entire nation of Goguryeo must have been asleep except for those aware of the mission. Solji was the first to wake in the cold early morning hours. The sun still hadn't risen, but it would be in a few hours. You only got a few hours of sleep, but that was enough to last you hours of riding. Eventually all of you would set up a quick camp to sleep then continue the journey. That would be the plan Solji hoped to keep consistently.

Solji woke everyone up, ordering them to put on their uniforms already. This time Hyojin couldn't complain nor could Hyelin. They silently moved around with the rest of you. You were shivering as you put on your cold uniform. It felt heavier than normal on your sleepy body. Others were quicker at getting ready than you. Solji was out the door with Heeyeon to wake the King while Jeonghwa went off to check the horses. Hyelin patted Hyojin's back as they walked out to follow the order Solji gave them. They had to prepare the wagons and meet up with Jeonghwa. Then you were taking longer than intended. Even Hwayoung was finished while you were doing your best to open the jewelry box. Inside was your hairpin and Namjoon would get mad if you didn't wear it.

"Leave the pin and let's go." Hwayoung stood by the door. "Wear a ribbon."

"It's an important gift..." You trailed off as you finally opened the box. Finally! It always took you so much time. You already knew you would forget how to open it once you come back. Hopefully Namjoon won't mind helping you with it. Moving quickly, you rushed to pull up your hair as Hwayoung became impatient.

"Ready?" She asked, pushing open the door.

"Yes! Let's go!" You stood up, running outside as you placed the pin tightly in your hair. Hwayoung chuckled to herself as the two of you hurried over to join the others with the wagon and horses. The walk over was completely silent. Nothing was wrong in Hwayoung's eyes, but you were certainly guilty of feeling different. You continuously glanced at her, wondering if she would admit anything or keep it a secret.

"Our unnie's should be bringing the King here soon." Hwayoung waved at Jeonghwa. The youngest was jumping as she waved back. It looked like she had Hyelin and Hyojin tying up the horses to the wagon and carriage. One carried goods while another was responsible for carrying the King. He would sit comfortably inside his carriage without anyone knowing who was in there. Someone of high status at most.

While Hwayoung spoke with Jeonghwa, you walked over to Happy. His tail was swaying gently as you brought your hands up to his face. He was calm at this early hour. Smiling brightly at him, you couldn't help petting your horse. Happy is so cute! You had to look over your shoulder a few times just in case the angels looked over. They would ask what you were doing and maybe scold you. Everything you were doing was innocent so you wished you didn't have to feel so guilty about it. Happy neighed when you heard extra voices. Grabbing Happy's reins, you face the direction of the sounds to see Solji and Heeyeon with Namjoon in between them. He yawned, barely listening to the information Solji was giving him.

"Can it wait until the morning?" Namjoon asked. Solji paused, slowly nodding at the King.

"Of course. Rest up inside your carriage, your Highness." Solji bowed.

"Thank you." Namjoon sighed as he made his way over. His eyes looked around, spotting you after a few seconds. You didn't move as he smiled and entered his carriage. He closed the doors for his own privacy. There were little windows on the side so you're sure he'll be opening them when he wakes up.

"Are we done preparing?" Solji walked over to the rest of the angels.

"Horses are set and secured." Hyojin nodded.

"Things are running smoothly along schedule." Heeyeon went to her horse, jumping on.

"Are you on the other side, (F/n)?" Hwayoung's voice asked.

"On the King's left!" You got up on Happy, getting comfortable on the saddle.

"Am I in charge of the goods or pulling the carriage?" Jeonghwa questioned.

"Just look at where your horse is!" Hyelin pointed towards the carriage. Jeonghwa ignored the elder's tone, happily getting onto her horse.

"And we're off." Solji sat on her horse as the rest of you nodded.

Solji was leading the way with Heeyeon up at the front. Hyelin was in charge of pulling the wagon of goods meanwhile Jeonghwa pulled the King's carriage. Hwayoung and you were on the sides of the carriage for protection. Also so he could have an angel easily available to talk to. Then Hyojin rode her horse behind the carriage, alert as all of you slowly went towards the gates. Hyojin's was bringing a lot of weapons with her. Besides the sword on her belt, she had multiple daggers hidden and even carried a quiver packed with arrows. The bow was being carried by the horse, ready to be used if something went wrong.

You will do your best though to make this a safe trip for the King. Holding the reins tightly, Happy's pace was slow like the others. Solji arrived at the gate, giving the guards a subtle nod. They bowed and wished all of you a safe travel. The large doors were pulled wide open, allowing all of you to come out of the palace. You took in a deep breath as the doors closed behind Hyojin. All of you are officially outside of the palace walls with the King. He won't be coming back for a while. Biting your lip, you nodded to yourself. Namjoon is going to be kept happy and healthy this entire trip. You're going to make sure of it! Determination was able to calm your nerves.

Solji had you guys using the back roads to leave the capital. These roads were barely used and it was clear when you noticed how poorly kept they were. Even if the carriage dealt with a few bumps, it was best to go this way. All of you remained hidden from everyone in the capital. One might ignore travelers at night, but not like this. Multiple guards, a wagon filled to the brim, and a luxurious carriage? The sight would leave them too curious for their own good. Luckily, the horses did good at keeping quiet as all of you eventually began to leave the capital entirely.

This was the furthest you've ever gone. It was new and exciting. The sun was also finally rising little by little. The dark blue sky was beginning to turn light with orange filling the horizon. It won't be long before the warm rays of the sun are shining down. It would still be cold out, but at least there would not be much snow on the mountains. Spring was just around the corner, melting more by the day. Heeyeon was looking down at her map to refresh her memory. There appeared to be a forest in the distance. The trees only seemed to grow taller the more you looked at it. They covered so many acres of land, but you knew that was the path you guys had to take. First deal with the forest, the mountain, and then Lady Eunchae!

"How far do you think we'll get?" Jeonghwa asked.

"We won't even reach halfway through the forest by sunset. For an entire week even." Heeyeon rolled up her map.

"What? How large is this forest?" Jeonghwa frowned.

"The largest one in Goguryeo." Heeyeon chuckled as she put the map away. "A month to get to Lady Eunchae and the same amount of time coming back if conditions are good."

"It also depends how much time we spend with Lady Eunchae," Solji added.

"I think young master Seungwon has a lot of work cut out for him." Hyelin laughed. He was left in charge of running the palace while Namjoon is gone. Before others could say anything, you heard Hwayoung's voice.

"He can handle it just fine. Don't underestimate the young master," Hwayoung said. You held back a smile at the way she was acting. Though the smile faded a bit when you remembered what occurred last night. That still left you with mixed feelings.

"I think Hwayoung unnie thinks young master Seungwon is attractive!" Jeonghwa teased. She smirked as she looked back to see her face. Unfortunately you couldn't see with the King's carriage in the way. Seeing Jeonghwa immediately pout though, you had a feeling Hwayoung must have done something to defend herself. You chuckled softly at how little the other angels knew about Seungwon and Hwayoung. She certainly thought he was more than attractive. You couldn't stop yourself from grinning. If you weren't on a mission right now with the other angels, you would be teasing Hwayoung right about now.

You're going to try your best to forget what you saw between Seungwon and Hwayoung. It kept appearing in your head when you thought about of one them. Shaking your head to yourself, you promised to focus on the task at hand. It took a while, but soon the eight of you were entering the forest. All of you stopped moving for a minute to prepare yourselves to enter the woods. The rest of the angels were handed a bow and a quiver full of arrows. At that time, you switched places with Hwayoung for no particular reason. It was just a small switch and by the time Solji ordered everyone to keep moving again, you were stuck on the right until the next time you guys stopped and that wouldn't be until it was the evening. You preferred being on the right side anyway.

You ignored the sleepy feeling that was so tempting. The only reason you felt like yawning was because of how long the trip was. All of you were doing nothing besides riding your horses. At this point, your bottom was beginning to feel numb from the hard saddle. You doubt Happy was having a good time either. He seemed to be doing okay for right now. You just hope Solji doesn't plan to overwork the horses to make the journey go faster. Though you doubt that would make any difference. As all of you traveled forward, Namjoon was finally waking up inside his carriage.

He slowly opened his eyes, the unsteady ground and hooves clopping quickly reminding him of what was going on. His head was resting against the wall of the carriage. Namjoon stretched his body as much as he could in the cramped space. His limbs were too long in the small cube he was in. The male silently yawned one last time when he realized how quiet it was. The carriage was moving and he could clearly hear the horses surrounding him. Sometimes he found it strange how the angels behaved. They occasionally felt stricter than regular palace guards. They acted as soldiers.

That's when an idea appeared in Namjoon's head. It wouldn't hurt to talk with his favorite shadow. He found himself smiling as he scooted closer to the left side of the carriage. Before opening up the small window, Namjoon patted down his hair. A King couldn't go off looking like a mess. He didn't have a brush with him, but his hair wasn't filled with tangles. He brushed a couple long locks behind his ear as he cleared his throat. There was nothing wrong with making himself look presentable. Namjoon slid the window open, a smug smile on his face as he stared out only to be met with the wrong shadow. Hwayoung turned her head to him with a stoic expression.

Immediately, Namjoon closed the window. Wrong angel. The male scooted over the right side of the carriage. He was just going to pretend the first time he opened the window never happened. Something about being greeted by Hwayoung's cold stare had a shiver run down his spine. Well, that was Seungwon's woman. Whatever his friend is into. Not that Namjoon has any special feelings for you aside from you being his friend. He reminded himself of that as he opened the window, seeing you instead his other shadow. He instantly smiled to see your graceful form quietly riding on your horse. You were clueless until you felt someone staring at you. Turning your head, you connected eyes with Namjoon to feel your heart practically jump in surprise.

"Oh! Your Majesty, you're awake!" You stated.

"Did I startle you?" Namjoon chuckled, resting his head against the window frame.

"I admit I was taken aback...but how are you? Did you sleep well?" You asked. Glancing forward for a quick second, you looked back towards the King again. His eyes never left you as he smiled.

"I slept well."

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" You tilted your head at him. Namjoon shook his head for now, keeping the window open as he stared out. "Is there anything that you may need?"

"Nothing at all. I'm simply enjoying the view..." Namjoon said without much thought. His eyes soon widened as he realized what left his mouth. A blush formed on your cheeks right away. You checked if the other angels had heard, but you appeared to be safe. "T-The forest, I mean."

"Ah, yes! That makes sense!" You nodded with maybe too much energy. Namjoon cleared his throat as you looked straight forward. "Well, we're going to be riding for a while. Then we'll put our journey on hold once it hits the evening."

"That sounds good." Namjoon leaned back in his seat. He kept the window open, occasionally looking out to peek at you. He had no idea why he was stealing glances like this, but he couldn't help himself. There was just something about you to him now that the two of you had become friends. He wasn't alone.

There was no time for stopping or putting the journey on pause. All of you continued on forward with Solji leading. Heeyeon occasionally pulled her horse around to pass off little snacks to you guys. While the angels had small pouches of thin cookies, the King was given a bit of a bigger meal. Only one packed box that would keep him full until the evening. It was the only meal that had been prepared for him. For the rest of the journey, he was going to have to rely on the angels for hunting unless he wanted to join. Namjoon didn't seem like the type to enjoy hunting. He always seemed gentle towards nature. Hunting wasn't your favorite thing either, but survival was of greater importance. Being picky wouldn't do you any good.

There would be minor hunting this evening. Heeyeon, Hyelin, and Hyojin were put on that job by Solji. That would be their given task for the rest of the journey unless told otherwise. The traveling for the first day was beginning to come to an end. All of you were seeing the sun slowly make its way down. While Solji prioritized searching for decent ground to rest, Namjoon was filled with boredom. He sat in his carriage doing nothing. He already finished his food and he felt like he was seeing the same trees over and over again. It was thrilling at first to be outside of the palace, but now he wasn't so sure he would enjoy an entire month of this. The male sighed heavily when Solji raised her hand, bringing her horse to a stop. The rest of you halted where you were as she turned to face you all behind her shoulder.

"We will put traveling to a rest for today. Let's set up to sleep for one night while a few hunt for food. We'll wake up early again and continue tomorrow." Solji waited for all of you to nod. She moved her horse a little further where you saw the bigger opening in the forest.

Hyelin brought the wagon away from the center and Jeonghwa did the same with the carriage. The rest of you put your horses near the edge, tying them up to a tree. The three hunters left immediately while you watched the horses roam as much as they were allowed, munching on grass and neighing. They were all so cute in your eyes, but you couldn't just stare at them for long. Solji and Jeonghwa were unrolling thin bamboo mats to sleep on for the night. Namjoon stepped out of his carriage, taking a look around. He was dressed in less extravagant clothes, but it was clear he was still of high status.

"Hwayoung, see if you can find a nearby stream or river. Any clean water. (F/n), find enough firewood to last us a night," Solji ordered. Hwayoung and you bowed before turning away to fulfill the task.

Namjoon stayed silent as he watched you walk away. You'll make sure to have this be a quick mission. There was plenty of good wood around the area to last the night. While the rest of the angels were off completing their given tasks, Namjoon stayed close to the eldest angel and the maknae. He sat awkwardly on a mat as the two women spoke casually to one another. Namjoon glanced in the direction you had walked off to, hoping you would be back soon. It felt like torture to him to be sitting in between the two girls. When were you coming? He was desperate and you came back like he had wished. You held plenty of wood as Hwayoung appeared with everyone's water pouch filled. Not long after you two returned, the hunters came back with small animals to feast on.

"Are you hungry, your Royal Highness?" Hyojin grinned as she held a bird up by its neck.

"Ah..." Namjoon pursed his lips.

"Maybe this looks more appetizing." Heeyeon held a rabbit as Namjoon shrugged.

"I'm sure they'll taste better than how they look at the moment," Namjoon said, causing the rest of you to giggle.

"When they're stiff and bloody like this—" Hyelin made an exaggerated pose, pretending to be dead for a few seconds. "—you really don't want that in your mouth." She smiled while more laughter slipped from the angels. Namjoon even chuckled himself, feeling less tense around his angels.

"Is this warm enough for you, my King?" Jeonghwa asked. Namjoon turned to see the fire was already lit to his surprised.

"Oh, yes. That'll do." Namjoon nodded. He didn't really care too much and wasn't too sure if he had a strong opinion on the fire in the first place. It was a fire. What else is he supposed to think?

"No need to be so awkward!" Solji smiled down at Namjoon. The male looked down at his lap in embarrassment, frustrated Solji saw that so easily.

"She's right, your Majesty. We are all here to protect and serve you." You bowed your head lightly at him. Namjoon glanced up at you silently, seeing how cheerful you were.

"Let's start skinning the rabbit." Hwayoung pulled out a knife. Namjoon immediately sighed once more.

He mainly watched without any interest as the animals were being prepared to eat. At the start, Namjoon was completely silent. He never spoke unless someone wanted a response from him. It was quite different from when Namjoon and you were alone together. He could be quite charismatic so seeing him like this was almost funny. His attitude towards you had changed a lot. From neutral to hatred to now being friends with him. Though his personality among the other angels hadn't changed much. He could get away with not being awkward around Hwayoung, but the rest were different stories.

Solji was his physician and often treated him like a little brother when she wanted him to relax. So many of the angels were older than him, but he was of higher status. Namjoon was practically raised by them and yet he was allowed to order them. His relationship with the angels was different from simple palace women and eunuchs. Solji and Hyojin mainly acted like bigger sisters. Heeyeon and Hyelin were like close cousins. Hwayoung and you were like friends. Lastly, Jeonghwa was like a little sister. All of you were technically like family yet he kept his distance from all of you during his teen years. Now he was finally spending more time with you guys than he had in the past eight years.

Though as the sun began to set, Namjoon was realizing that things hadn't changed. Heeyeon still lacked lady like manners as she ate the leg of a rabbit. Was she a starving beggar? Jeonghwa could still be a troublemaker to her oldest unnies. Solji only sighed while Hyojin whined, scolding Jeonghwa heavily for flicking more than a few droplets of water in their direction while they were eating peacefully. Hyelin was still a weirdo who could even make Hwayoung laugh hard enough to smile in front of the other angels. Then you were still persistent as ever to be his friend, cheerful and pure in his eyes.

"I said I was sorry!" Jeonghwa frowned. "It was only water, Unnie."

"Fine! Hold this!" Hyojin held her hand in a fist. It looked like she was holding something, making Jeonghwa freeze. "Hold your hand out already! Before it slips out!"

"No! I don't want to!" Jeonghwa shook her head.

"Do it, you baby!" Heeyeon licked her fingers.

"Think of it on the bright side! You don't even know what it is!" Hyelin pointed out.

"That's what makes this awful!" Jeonghwa whined, holding her hands out. She scrunched her face tightly as she hesitantly kept them cupped. Hyojin then opened her fist to move her fingers like a spider on Jeonghwa. "NO!!" She screamed, flailing her arms around until she saw how hard Hyojin was laughing. Her brows furrowed when it clicked in her head. "Unnie!!"

"What? It's just air." Hyojin grinned wider at the maknae's pout.

"Well, I'm stuffed." Heeyeon stood up, patting her stomach. "I'm going to sleep."

"Me too!" Hyelin laid down on her bamboo mat. She stretched her body out before getting comfortable.

"I suggest we all sleep now so we can start tomorrow early." Solji removed the sword from her belt.

All of you nodded while Namjoon stood up. He watched his angels do their best to get comfortable on the bamboo mats despite wearing armor. There wasn't a mat outside for him since he would be sleeping inside his carriage. He wasn't quite sure if that was more comfortable or not, but his eyes found themselves on you. Grabbing the pin in your hair, you carefully pulled it out and let your bun begin to unravel. It felt a lot better not to have that weight on your head anymore. Sighing softly to yourself, you tucked the hairpin into the scabbard for your sword. It was a tight squeeze, but you didn't want to lose it. You laid on your side as you got ready to sleep when you felt someone tap your shoulders.

"Hm?" You cracked open an eye as you turned to see who it was. Standing over you was Namjoon with a frown on his face. "Is something wrong?" You instantly sat up.

"Are you sure you want to sleep outside?" Namjoon questioned. You blinked at him, surprised that's what was on his mind. "Won't it be too cold?"

"Cold? Oh, don't worry about me. I'll be fine with the warm fire, my King." You bowed your head. Your voice was a low whisper just so the others wouldn't hear you two. The fire was crackling pretty loudly as well. "Have a good night."

"Right..." Namjoon watched you turn over again. Something about having you sleep outside didn't set right with him inside. He knew all the angels were fulfilling their duties so he didn't question it. Seven ladies sleeping outside in the cold yet it was you who was troubling him in particular. He walked over to his carriage to open the doors. "She's just my shadow..." He muttered to himself, attempting to shake off his worries about you as he entered the carriage.


	12. Idea

Ch.11

Traveling with the King has been an absolute delight. The journey only started yesterday, but you were loving it aside from the few worries on your mind. Namjoon could work on befriending the other angels and lose the awkward tone he had around them. Besides you, Hwayoung, and Solji, he could barely act natural around the others. He acted as if he's never met another human before when interacting with them. That was the first thing you noticed. It was something you wanted to talk to him about, but there was never a good time. All the angels had to stay focused on the journey and you figured you might get scolded by the others if you talk too much with Namjoon. Then there was also the fact that your closeness with him could slip at any moment if you talked to him. You really don't want to be caught calling him by his name and have Namjoon defend you for whatever reason.

Most of your worries weren't about dealing with enemies or simple thieves which you believed was good. You felt prepared to handle them with the weapons attached to your body. Plus, there were six other highly trained guards with you. Namjoon was educated on fighting as well. Not that any of you would let him fight. That was for the rest of you to be responsible of. Even when Namjoon was receiving basic training, he hated it. He didn't enjoy a single lesson and openly complained compared to his angels who were only fulfilling their fate. Looking back on those days almost made you want to laugh.

*~*

_You stood with your feet apart, planting them into the ground. In your hand was a staff just like what the other angels were holding. All of you were currently getting trained on how to fight with a sword. It was something all of you spent hours working on for some days. It was only the angels who were approved by the teacher who were allowed to practice less. They were also not scolded as much. The only angels approved were the four eldest unnies. The three youngest were still doing their best to meet the teacher's standard. And you meant that! You worked hard, but he also expected you to be unbeatable at the age of fifteen. You're no warrior at the moment, but you were at least strong with a sword. Even at your age, you were much better than the Crown Prince._

_While Hwayoung and you were practicing basic techniques, the Crown Prince stood in the corner from pure frustration. He had accidentally broken his staff when sparring with Jeonghwa. Though she wanted to win, she knew she wasn't allowed when it came to the Crown Prince. She did her best and the Crown Prince didn't want to try. It was obvious that the fourteen year old was going easy on the lazy fifteen year old. That automatically angered him, causing him to fight harder for once. That led to his staff completely breaking into two. You were surprised he used so much force for it to break. Jeonghwa was luckily okay, but the Crown Prince currently had a bad attitude._

_"What's the point of me learning to fight when she exists?" The Crown Prince threw his staff on the floor roughly. It banged loudly against the stone causing Jeonghwa to flinch. His finger was pointed at her as he glared at the teacher. "And her? Her?" He continued to point out all the angels who were in the training yard with him. "What about the guards? MY soldiers!?"_

_"They belong to her grace, the Queen." The teacher pursed his lips. "They are not truly yours until you become King. The only ones you have to protect you are your guardian angels and even then they still need to heighten their skills. You're all here learning together for a reason."_

_"Why must I be punished for their incompetence?" Namjoon shouted. Hwayoung grabbed Jeonghwa and you, forcing all of you to bow low for the Crown Prince. He was spitting out all kinds of things before noticing you guys. The elder angels were wrapping up with practice, suddenly noticing the commotion._

_"We apologize, Crown Prince. We'll work longer and harder to meet your standards in order to protect you," Hwayoung said in a firm voice._

_"I apologize for upsetting you. I'm so deeply sorry for my intention was not to offend you, Crown Prince." Jeonghwa was shaking. She was still so young then. Just a year younger than you, but a lot more afraid of the Crown Prince. She didn't get to see much of his warm side growing up compared to the rest of you. She's always been scared of him._

_"And you? What do you have to say for yourself?" Namjoon's eyes landed on you. Biting your lip, you felt your heart pound at the way he glared. He was angry, but he carried no particular hatred for you then._

_"I will work until my body is aching, Crown Prince. I will fight for you and I am willing to give up my life in order to protect you. Whatever Fate intends for me, I will accept," You stated. Jeonghwa's eyes glanced at you, admiring you for what you had to say._

_"Fate." Namjoon scoffed, but eventually nodded as he faced the teacher once more. "Do you have any more to teach or am I free to return to the library?"_

_The Crown Prince always had a bad spirit when he got fighting lessons. He would much rather read a book or write. He preferred his studies rather than the physical combat his parents wanted him educated on. He always gave the instructors a hard time and there wasn't much they could do about it besides be patient. If you did even half of what Namjoon does then you would be dragged by your hair, branded and possibly locked up for a temporary amount of time. All you and the angels could do was work hard and take whatever the teacher taught. The elder angels got to leave early while you three young ones had to continue. That's what you all did with the Crown Prince until the instructor finally got a headache from the Crown Prince._

_All of you were released to change. Of course, the Crown Prince was getting assistance from ladies of the court. You removed your own clothes just like the other angels. This was before you had to wear armor every day of your life. Still, you were forced to wear clothes like a man. Wearing anything feminine was almost foreign to you. You finished changing before the others, already walking out of the small hut on your own. Then without meaning to, you managed to cross the same path as the Crown Prince. At his side was the chief eunuch and a couple palace women following silently. He looked annoyed and sighed to see you but smiled for some odd reason. He wasn't one to express joy._

_"All of you may leave. I have my shadow present." The Crown Prince stared them all down. They were hesitant, but inevitably bowed as they left. He turned to face you, the smile quickly disappearing._

_"Hello, Crown Prince." You bowed. "Do you want me to stay by your side?"_

_"No." Namjoon started to walk past you. Blinking at nothing, you grew baffled. Why excuse his court if he doesn't want you? He can't be left alone!_

_"Crown Prince, I can't leave you alone!" You shouted, running after him. He stopped in his place, his shoulders sinking as he turned to face you. His eyes then moved behind you. What was he looking at? You turned to see Hwayoung and Jeonghwa joining you guys._

_"I'll only tolerate ONE angel! And even then, ten feet away from me at all times." Namjoon scoffed, crossing his arms. "Which one of you? Make it fast."_

_"O-One?" Jeonghwa stammered._

_"Hwayoung." Namjoon chose her, tired of waiting._

_She was the better fighter of the angels in front of him. It didn't surprise you much that he chose her. Then if Seungwon appeared, he could sneak off and truly be alone like he supposedly wanted. Hwayoung bowed, stepping forward and ready for him to walk. She kept the distance he requested while Jeonghwa and you stayed back. Shrugging, you knew not to take it too personally. The Crown Prince always seemed to hate having people around him. Like he was uncomfortable of their purpose to be around him. You looked at Jeonghwa, seeing her teary eyed. A gasp left your lips as you cupped her face, bringing her close to you._

_"What's with the tears?" You frowned. Seeing the precious maknae crying like this was never fun. She was like your baby._

_"T-The Crown Prince is scary, Unnie." Jeonghwa pouted. You gave her a gentle smile, squishing her cheeks._

_"He's a bit cold, but you shouldn't worry. He'll never harm us." You tapped her nose, getting a giggle out of her. That was a good sign already. "We protect him so he needs us. Maybe he'll warm up in the future and for that, we need patience."_

_"I really don't want to wait for him to be kind to us." Jeonghwa looked down at her feet._

_"He's as kind as he needs to be. He'll be King of Goguryeo, Jeonghwa. He mustn't have any weaknesses, do you understand? He might be scary now, but we'll most likely deal with scarier people trying to protect him," You stated as she nodded at your reasoning. "We cannot have the luxury of having fears. Death can be our friend at any moment."_

_"You know, Unnie, I prefer getting lectured by you than Solji unnie." Jeonghwa smiled at you, making you laugh immediately. The things this young girl says! You wrapped your arms around her, glad she cheered up._

*~*

Traveling wasn't too tricky with the King. Namjoon was currently poking his head out of the window, breathing in the fresh air. You suggested he open both, but he only shook his head. He was clearly hesitant, making you wonder if he was potentially awkward around Hwayoung too. He barely spoke with Solji and mainly stuck to you. It was interesting to witness, but you wished he wouldn't act like that. You fear that your friendship with him will lead you to trouble. You also think that it'll restrict him since he seems satisfied with this friendship alone. Though you did have an idea while Namjoon tapped his fingers against the window frame. What if he worked on befriending the others? That would certainly save you any trouble. It could work and benefit him as well!

The idea already had you excited. You'll just have to figure out when you can tell him about it. When the two of you get privacy is when you'll bring it up. It would be impossible to speak about it with the others around. Just having them a few feet away on their horses had you paranoid. Namjoon would occasionally talk to you and not in a King to a guard type of way. There was a hint of care and fondness when he talked to you. As if you were an old childhood friend which was true in a way, but still not appropriate. If he continues to make it obvious then you have no doubt in your mind that the angels will begin to question you about it. He's so formal with them and even Hwayoung so what was your excuse?

You chewed on your bottom lip mindlessly until you noticed the pace slowing down. Solji's horse eventually came to a stop, causing the rest of you to halt as well. There was no expression on your face as you waited to hear orders. Heeyeon and her were whispering before looking back at all of you. Namjoon stuck his head further out, frustrated with the sudden stop. He was very impatient about traveling to Lady Eunchae, but there was nothing much you guys can do about it. Traveling by horse is a lot faster than on foot. Travel was going as fast as it could be.

"Your Royal Highness, there is a stream nearby. What are your thoughts on stopping for clean water and capturing fish?" Solji waited for a response. Namjoon pressed his lips together, conflicted on wanting to get on with the journey and the possible opportunity to eat a bit.

"Yes, let's take advantage of the stream." Namjoon sighed heavily, nodding his head. Everyone began to follow Solji's lead towards the stream. Putting the journey on a pause, you got off your horse as Namjoon came out of his carriage. He carefully stepped onto the ground, pretending Jeonghwa hadn't offered to help him down. He stayed quiet as he made his way over to you. It felt predictable in your eyes and you felt bad for Jeonghwa. The maknae awkwardly kept to herself, regretting something simple because of Namjoon's own awkwardness. "Angel (F/n)."

"What may I help you with, my King?" You smiled. Namjoon's lips twitched upwards as he stared down at you.

"Catch my fish and get me water to drink. I don't plan on getting my hands wet." Namjoon clasped his hands together behind his back. "I'll simply watch."

"Of course, your Majesty." You bowed. Namjoon chuckled, entertained with having authority over you despite considering you a friend. He thought of it as a joke just like Seungwon while you took it seriously. Friend or not, you would do anything Namjoon wanted you to. If he wants you to get him a fish and water to drink then you will waste no time. It wasn't that hard of a task to complete either. Getting him water was the easiest to fulfill. The fish part was a bit more complicated, but you could handle it. All the angels and you stepped into the water since it wasn't too deep. The water was moving calmly, allowing you to see the fish swimming by. They were small but had enough meat on them to be considered a snack.

You held an arrow in your hand as you stood in the water. With your upper body hovering over the fishes, you waited for the right moment to strike. Heeyeon was causing a lot of noises far down the stream since she was randomly punching her hands into the water with no solid plan. Hyojin was complaining about her scaring the fishes away. You blocked it all out as your eyes landed on a fish swimming its way over unknowingly. Fingers curling tighter around the arrow, you strike your arm down into the water. It splashed upwards from the force you put into it. With specks of water on your face, you stared down to see you had successfully pierced the arrow into the fish. Perfect! You cheered inside your head but kept a relatively calm exterior as you made your way back to Namjoon.

Namjoon was happy when you came back to him. He seemed pretty pleased until his eyes landed on the fish. Tilting your head at him, Namjoon finally decided to mention that he actually didn't enjoy eating fish. You offered to hunt for something else right away. That only got Namjoon to shake his head and insist that the fish would do for now. He didn't want you guys taking longer than necessary. All of you shouldn't even be taking a break here in the first place. Namjoon followed you as you went to the other angels to prepare the fish to be eaten. When it was finally done, you handed it over to Namjoon for him to eat.

"Enjoy, my King." You bowed. He was back to sitting inside his open carriage while the rest of the angels sat near the stream. Namjoon took the fish slowly into his hands with a soft sigh.

"Thank you." Namjoon stared at it for the first few seconds until his stomach growled. He finally shrugged, forcing himself to just eat the fish. He couldn't really be picky at the moment when you guys weren't sure when the next meal would be. Instead of rabbit like last night, it could only be a handful of berries. Even then the only person allowed to eat would be Namjoon. "Sit with me."

"Sit? I'm sorry, I can't," You whispered. Namjoon lifted his eyes to meet yours, frowning at the fact that you did something other than obey. He stopped eating to look at you before glancing over at the other angels.

"And why not? I'm the King. I tell you what to do and you obey." Namjoon almost growled. "They won't be able to say anything about it. Not even Angel Solji."

"...they might not say anything to you, but they'll speak about it with me." You shook your head. Namjoon only continued to sigh, wanting you just sit next to him already. He didn't understand why he had to fight for it. "Don't you think it would be a bit odd if you showed even the slightest bit of fondness towards me? You act so formal with them and...I'll be honest, you have stayed by my side through a majority of the trip and it's only been two days."

"And what's wrong with that?" Namjoon chewed on his fish. You wanted to sigh or kick the ground from pure frustration. This is what happens when you're raised to get everything you ask for! It was so obvious in your head, but he didn't see it.

"We're not supposed to give away our closeness. Even if they can't say anything about it, there will be others who will find out about it. Namjoon, there's a saying that a King has no friends for a reason." You balled up your fists. The saying was quick to change the mood between the two of you. Namjoon's expression looked hurt now which only made you feel guilty. The last thing you wanted to do was be the reason he frowned. You just had to tell him the truth though since this was getting too risky. "I told you that we have to be secretive about this. We can't be too close..."

"But you're my shadow. We have reason to be close to one another." Namjoon furrowed his brows. He was desperate to find any reason to be near you. He didn't know why he felt so strongly about this.

"What about Hwayoung?" You asked to see him stutter.

"S-She's Seungwon's woman..." Namjoon stopped eating his fish as he looked back at you. At this point it was becoming clear to Namjoon. Just because Hwayoung was Seungwon's lover, he couldn't be friends with her? Then what were you to the King? The two of you were flustered, but you knew better. Only friends. Just friends. Namjoon could see how his interactions with you could lead to unwanted scenarios. "I guess I am finally understanding what you're saying."

"We're still friends, of course." You smiled at him. "And I have an idea that could help us. It would allow you to be friendly with me in the open, but it takes effort on your part."

"Effort on my part?" Namjoon hummed to himself in thought. It didn't take long for him to give in to your hopeful smile. "Fine. I'll do it." Namjoon tossed the last piece of fish in his mouth as he crossed his arms. You smile widened to hear him accept it so easily. Bouncing on your toes, you noticed him smile at you too.

"You're going to work on getting close with the other angels too!" You cheered. Namjoon's eyes widened immediately to hear this coming from you. It wasn't what he was expecting in the slightest.

"Why? Why do I have to do that?" Namjoon nervously glanced at the angels. Hyelin was screaming as she held a live fish before it dropped back in the water. The fish swam away in a hurry causing Heeyeon and Hyojin to laugh the loudest. Hyojin stayed still while Heeyeon insisted she show Hyelin how it's done. Solji scolded the girls, telling them to start drying up already and eat what they have caught instead of messing around. Jeonghwa was making sure to cheer over the eldest so they wouldn't hear her. They were causing a lot of noise, making Namjoon want to hide in his shell.

"That way they won't notice a difference in the way you treat me from them. They'll see it as regular treatment and it also wouldn't hurt to get to know your other angels," You stated. "They're quite nice." Namjoon was hesitant to glance back at the girls. Solji finally got Hyojin to help, but that just meant Hyojin threatening to throw an arrow at them. It's not like she actually meant it though so it was okay! Namjoon swallowed hard from how much this was to take in.

"I'd imagine so..." Namjoon continued to frown as he threw the idea around in his head. He swung his legs back and forth, wanting to say no. It was evident on his face yet you kept a hopeful smile. The serious look you gave him was how you were pleading him to agree. You weren't sure if it would even work. You're certain he would tell you off. You telling what the King to do? It was laughable yet Namjoon grabbed your hand before you could take it back. "If I can be your friend openly, then fine. I will try to befriend the others though I have no idea how...I'm assuming you'll help me." He squeezed your hand, making you feel a bit warm in the face.

"Yes! Of course! I'll help you, my King! Always!" You excitedly nodded at him. Namjoon had your hand in a tight grip until you agreed. That's when he finally loosened it, allowing your hand to slip from his. "I already have an idea, Namjoon."

"Lovely...what is it?" Namjoon was less than enthusiastic. You looked back over at the angels, humming as you searched for the right one. She couldn't stop laughing as she played around with Hyelin, getting the girl out of the water.

"Jeonghwa," You whispered. "Start from the youngest to the eldest. Jeonghwa is friendly enough so it won't be too hard."

"Okay, Angel Jeonghwa first and..." Namjoon waited for you to continue.

"This is going to be so much fun!" You quietly squealed as you stepped closer to the King. Namjoon chuckled, listening to the plan you had in mind as he stared at all his angels near the stream.


	13. Successful

Ch.12

Park Jeonghwa was the first mission for Namjoon. He was so nervous, but he certainly had nothing to worry about. She wasn't intimidating and she wouldn't ask so many questions. Though her job was to be a spy for the King, she wouldn't dare be suspicious of him. She was the easiest one to get close to and you had to keep reassuring him that it would be fine. There was no need for him to stress out about this. Each angel would be honored to get closer to him as a friend. Then you also made a point that he's going to be spending an entire month with all of you. It'd be astonishing if he finished this journey only being friends with you the entire time. That finally got him to truly think about it.

The angels are no threat to him and he knew that. He just had to get over his own awkwardness. He could admit that he wasn't good with talking to people all he wants, but that doesn't mean he isn't able to try. All his excuses were beginning to run out as soon as he realized you weren't going to let him run from this. You strongly encouraged him to take advantage of this time he has with the angels. He asked you multiple questions about the plan last night. When all of you had stopped for the night, he had you by his side until Solji told everyone it was time to sleep. He was so unsure of himself, but you promised it would work out. And it was taking place now.

It was the third day of traveling to Lady Eunchae. The journey has been going pretty well with no major issues. For the most part, everything was going according to schedule. If everything stays at this rate then you guys will probably reach the mountainous terrain by a week and a half. Solji handed the map to Heeyeon who had it tied to her belt. This map had a route that would make the journey quick through the mountains. This long trip will be over before Namjoon knows it. He'll soon have a Queen and much more friends. The first one will have to wait a bit, but you can definitely help with the second one! It would be your pleasure to assist him with that one!

Namjoon was sitting inside his carriage, his head leaning out of the window on your side. He kept biting his bottom lip anxiously no matter how many times you told him that it would be okay. You just decided to ignore him and focus on your part of the plan. Jeonghwa was pulling the carriage with her horse so she wasn't too far from you. Happy was walking on the right side of the carriage so you got to see her. The plan would require patience, but you knew it would come. Eventually it came. A large beetle clung onto the side of a tree. It went easily unnoticed by Jeonghwa and the others. Perfect.

"Don't be scared," You mumbled as you leaned out of your saddle a bit. You tugged on Happy's reins so he would move closer to the tree, but not too much. You didn't want to make it too obvious. Just quick. Grabbing onto the beetle, you brought it close to your chest. Its legs stuck onto your skin and it felt strange. It didn't hurt, but you had to pluck if off with more energy than you thought. "Ready?" You glanced at Namjoon. The male silently whined in his carriage before letting you carry on with the plan.

As carefully as you could, you moved Happy a little further up. He was helping you so much at the moment. He stayed a good boy as you reached down to place the beetle on the rope attaching Jeonghwa's horse to the carriage. The beetle moved slowly along the rope like you had wished. You feared it would have stayed still or possibly flown away, but it was doing what you had hoped. The closer it got to Jeonghwa, the more Namjoon regretted being roped into this. He sighed as he stuck his head further out the window. You forced your expression to be stoic before he continued with the plan.

"Angel Jeonghwa!" Namjoon called out. The maknae looked over shoulder, staring at the King.

"Yes, your Majesty?" She blinked at him in confusion. He rarely ever talked to her so her reaction didn't have him shocked. He felt strange himself too. He really wished their first interaction on this trip didn't have to be like this. He was already having regrets.

"Do you not like bugs?" Namjoon pursed his lips to see her brows jump.

"Ah...not particularly, no. Why?" Jeonghwa tilted her head.

"Don't be alarmed, but a little one is making its way towards you at the moment—" Namjoon pointed out the rather large beetle. Jeonghwa jumped in her saddle, her eyes growing twice their size. This is where you came in and caught her attention.

"Don't scream. You'll scare the horses," You said in a stern tone. Jeonghwa whined, panicking as the beetle continued to make its way towards her. Its pace was slow yet that had her squirming nonstop. Jeonghwa wanted to jump off her horse, hating every second of this. Namjoon could see how much she hated this and nodded to himself.

"Stop the horses!" Namjoon shouted. Solji looked back at him in bewilderment but followed orders. Everyone stopped as Namjoon opened the carriage doors. He leaned over to grab the beetle, smiling at it before it flew away. Jeonghwa ducked her head, hoping the beetle wouldn't go anywhere near her as it left. "There we go."

"T-Thank you so much, your Highness! I am forever grateful!" Jeonghwa panted, bowing and placing her hands on her chest. The other angels simply chuckled and shook their heads lightly before continuing to travel forward.

"Of course." Namjoon nodded, slowly closing the doors as his carriage began to move again. He sat back in his seat and brought his hands up to his face. The first step of the plan went perfect! You were grinning to see it go so smoothly. By remembering her fear of bugs, warning her, and going out of his way to get rid of it, the King has gained her full trust! Sure, Jeonghwa may trust him already, but now she had clear reason to rather than him just being the King. You were proud while Namjoon wanted to rip his hair out. He grabbed onto two long locks as he looked out at you. "When does plan two begin?"

"Patience, my King," You whispered to his dismay. He wanted to pout, but he didn't want to act too much like a child in front of you. Holding back the urge to laugh, you watched Namjoon shut the window out of embarrassment.

*~*

_Namjoon paced around his old room in circles. He kicked out the chief eunuch and told all the palace women to stay away from his room. It was like any other day except he waited impatiently for Seungwon to appear. Namjoon told him to show up by noon exactly. Where was he? The Crown Prince felt his blood boiling the longer he stayed alone in his room. He was sixteen at this time. Still too young to take the throne from his mother, but he wasn't so sure if he truly wanted it. That's what he wanted to discuss with Seungwon. Everyone kept pushing this idea of fate, but it was all sounding like nonsense to the Crown Prince. No matter what he did, everything already seemed planned for him. It was infuriating._

_"This d*mn..." Namjoon growled, stopping in the middle of his room. He's not going to waste his time waiting for Seungwon like this. Though Namjoon was unsure he wanted to be King, that didn't stop him from being the slightest bit spoiled. He didn't want to wait for some royal advisor. If he ordered him to come by noon then Seungwon should have been here by noon. No questions asked._

_The Crown Prince felt tempted to cuss his friend out. Even if the two were close, Seungwon was pushing it with the royal blood. Namjoon marched towards his doors, pulling them open and storming out right in front of the stairs. He looked around and even then there was no sight of Seungwon. His friend better be_ running _in the palace! If Seungwon isn't sweating or bleeding by the time he's standing in front of Namjoon—! The Crown Prince scoffed before shaking his head. He needed to calm down. He's normally not like this with Seungwon. It's mainly just the topic he wants to discuss that has his feelings all over the place like this. Namjoon played with his hands when he noticed an angel running along the palace walls._

_"Angel Jeonghwa!!" Namjoon raised his hand up. He waved it as the girl came a halt, looking over in his direction. The fifteen year old was shocked to see he wanted her attention in the first place. He beckoned her over, watching the angel's quick and swift movements. She jumped off the wall over to nearby roof tops. She slid down, landing on her feet and making her way over as if she could fly. He wouldn't expect anything less from his angel who was trained to be a spy for him._

_"Good afternoon, Crown Prince." Jeonghwa bowed. "Do you need an angel by your side?"_

_"It's not that. I need you to search for Advisor Seungwon. The second you spot him, notify me and then we'll go from there," Namjoon ordered. Jeonghwa bowed her head with a small smile on her face. It's been a long time since he's talked to her._

_She turned around, running without making a single sound. She was light as a feather as she climbed up onto the roofs. Namjoon put his hands behind his back, sighing to himself. He was actually quite pleased with his actions. He has a total of seven bodyguards and now he actually put one to the test. He typically ignores them and keeps them at a distance. All this royal business has come to make him uncomfortable since his father died. Things didn't feel right anymore. Suddenly it became clear to him just how alone he was despite having over hundreds of servants. People only care for him because of his title and nothing more. It left him with mixed feelings. He had no choice but to live this life even if he hated certain aspects of it. There were still some aspects that he enjoyed and spoiled himself with. It made him feel pathetic and more conflicted than ever. He needs advice from Seungwon._

_He forced himself to muster up the slightest bit of patience. Jeonghwa wasn't going to find him right away, but he trusted her to perform her job correctly. She was given the title of spy on purpose. Only five minutes seemed to have past when she announced herself at his door. He gave her permission to enter, watching the young girl step inside with a serious look on her face. The angels always shared the same type of look on their face. As if they didn't know what emotion was, but they obviously did. That was always something that made the Crown Prince feel odd around them. Namjoon stood up from his seat as he walked over to Jeonghwa with a small smirk on his face._

_"Did you find him?" Namjoon crossed his arms._

_"I did, Crown Prince! He was found having a conversation with Hwayoung unnie at the old pond," Jeonghwa stated. Namjoon's face tightened to hear that, not wanting his true reaction to slip out. His heart fell down to his stomach as he tried to ignore his panic. "I stayed at a distance and couldn't hear what they were discussing. I came as soon I spotted him. Do you want me to look further into it?"_

_"No. Thank you." Namjoon instantly shook his head. "You've done enough...just forget everything you just did for me. Continue with what you were doing earlier."_

_"Oh..." Jeonghwa was surprised. She wasn't quite sure what to expect but being told to forget was never an option in her head._

_"You may leave." Namjoon waited for her to start moving already. Jeonghwa slowly bowed, still processing everything. "Now."_

_"R-Right! I apologize!" Jeonghwa jumped, hurrying to escape his room._

_The loud doors closed, leaving Namjoon alone in his room again. This time there was no anger or frustration in him anymore. He didn't care if Seungwon didn't show up for the entire day. Instead Namjoon felt guilty and was doing his best to calm his nerves. He walked over to his bed, dropping himself onto the cushions. Though Namjoon was unsure of everyone else's intentions towards him, he knew Seungwon was golden. That hyung is a true friend and nothing could ever make him question that. Seungwon has never asked anything of Namjoon and if he ever does, it will only be because of one person._

_Seungwon is in love with Hwayoung, one of his shadows. They're hiding in their favorite spot and Namjoon almost got them caught. Luckily they were only talking...Namjoon groaned. He never wants them to be found for as long as he is not King. He put his best friend's love in danger. D*mn it. Namjoon turned on his side, hoping Jeonghwa doesn't say anything about this to the others. It made the Crown Prince paranoid. He can't even trust his own angels with their fellow angels. The male sighed heavily as he stared up at the ceiling. Jeonghwa better follow orders._

*~*

Namjoon kept himself locked inside his carriage. You were waiting for him to at least crack open the right window, but he never did. Was he that embarrassed? Personally, you think it went really great. Jeonghwa was smiling and looked relaxed. Not startled or anything of the sort. The plan was going just like you wanted it to. The next step in the plan was for when Solji finds a spot to rest for the night. She'll assign the same jobs she did last time. While you get firewood, Namjoon will go with you and make sure to request Jeonghwa's assistance. Solji won't say much if he does that. He needs to be vague so Jeonghwa won't be expecting anything. She'll think she's there for you and for extra protection of the King rather than Namjoon secretly trying to befriend her.

Time flew faster than you thought it would. It was past the evening now and Solji was searching for a resting spot. She was already shouting that everybody had the same positions as last time. Inside, you were smiling to see everything going so well. On the outside, you looked dead but that was intentional. All the angels shared the same expression. Soon there was a large enough opening for Solji to call the journey to a halt. Everyone put the horses away, already separating and preparing for tonight's rest. While the hunters went, Solji stayed with Heeyeon and Jeonghwa to prepare the bamboo mats. You glanced at Namjoon, letting him know it was time for the second part of the plan.

"Actually, Angel Jeonghwa..." Namjoon started. It was too late for him to take it back now. She looked up at him, Solji simply glancing at the King. "Come with us. I want both you and (F/n) by my side."

"Oh!" Jeonghwa looked at Solji. The eldest said nothing, allowing Jeonghwa to bow and jump onto her feet. The maknae ran over to the two of you with a smile. She was obviously content before noticing your serious look. She quickly changed her expression to match yours as she faced the King. "Yes, your Majesty."

"Great." Namjoon looked at you to lead the way for firewood.

They followed close behind you as you stepped further into the woods. Finding firewood wasn't too hard of a task. There was plenty in this area that you wouldn't have to travel far, but where was the fun in that? Actually, this part of the plan was something you didn't mention to Namjoon. He still needs a bigger push. He's done so well on his own, but he won't speak to Jeonghwa unless you instruct him. What kind of friendship is that? You know he can do better. Namjoon was careful as he followed you, Jeonghwa sticking by his side and making sure there was nothing suspicious around. While they walked at a slower pace, you took this moment to quietly run off and hide from their sight. You can do this, Namjoon!!

"We should get firewood as quick as possible..." Namjoon huffed, pushing hair out of his face. Jeonghwa made sure he was careful with his footing.

"Yes, your Highness, before it gets too dark." Jeonghwa nodded, soon looking around. Suddenly you were no longer in sight. Panic was evident on her face and you held back laughter to see her frantically looking around. Namjoon tucked his hair behind his ears, muttering that he would put it in a bun as soon as they get back. You knew that meant he would make _you_ put it in a bun. "Unnie! (F/n) unnie!"

"Hm?" Namjoon finally started to acknowledge the lack of his shadow. Biting the insides of your cheek, you noticed how panicked the King got. He looked a lot more stressed out than Jeonghwa. She remained calm while Namjoon was already acting out emotionally. "(F/n)!? Where are you!?"

"Shh." Jeonghwa grabbed onto his arm. Instantly, the King glared down at her for shushing him. The maknae pulled away in fear and bowed apologetically. You whined softly, wishing Namjoon wouldn't be that way. You continued to hide behind a large rock as the atmosphere between them grew tense. Namjoon was now too fixated on finding you and Jeonghwa didn't know how to act around the King. She was always kind of afraid of him.

"Find (F/n). Where is she?" Namjoon frowned, his eyes looking everywhere.

"I don't know, my King. It's best for you to return with Solji while I search for her on my own—" Jeonghwa answered, but it wasn't what he wanted to hear. Namjoon remained persistent on wanting to find you that it made you want to punch the rock you were hiding behind. This isn't about you! Why was he getting like this? You weren't sure to be flattered by his worry or annoyed that he genuinely believed you would disappear into thin air.

"I'm not leaving until we find (F/n)." Namjoon walked around. His feet crunched the dead leaves underneath him, but he soon stopped. He had no idea where he was going. The King never really had a good sense of direction. He turned to face Jeonghwa, pursing his lips as he thought to himself.

"...I'm certain we'll find her, my King. (F/n) unnie is not one to get lost." Jeonghwa offered him the smallest smile. "I doubt she is in any danger since the only signs of life here appear to be nature. She can protect herself and she'll find us soon. I know it."

"So are you saying we just stand here until she appears?" Namjoon narrowed his eyes on her. Jeonghwa took in a breath through her nose, not looking the King in the eyes.

"I am only trying to comfort you, my King, by telling you what I know about my Unnie," Jeonghwa said. She was doing her best to keep calm and you were cheering inside your head. That's it! Don't be afraid! Jeonghwa is friendly enough to start a conversation so you have faith in her. Even if she's fidgeting with her hands at the moment. "May I ask what has you so bothered? Is it because she is your shadow?"

"..." Namjoon was taken aback by her question. You tightened your hands into fists, hoping he wouldn't lose his temper on her. Jeonghwa and you were very similar. The two of you energetic yet the two of you did have subtle differences. While you weren't afraid to be honest with the King, you could see her slightly shaking from where you stood. Hold your ground, Jeonghwa. "Well...that's one way to put it. I'm not exactly close with Hwayoung."

"You just feel closer to (F/n)?" Jeonghwa questioned. Namjoon stayed silent for a couple seconds before nodding his head. He fidgeted with his hand as Jeonghwa took in his answer.

"W-We're friends. Don't make any assumptions." Namjoon cleared his throat. Right away, Jeonghwa stared up at him in shock.

"Friends?" Her face let you know that she wasn't sure if that was allowed. The King having a friend? You held in your breath as you continued to watch. Namjoon shouldn't have let that slip. This can only go a few ways now. D*mn it. "How?"

"How?" Namjoon hesitantly looked at her. His tone was a bit closed off, making Jeonghwa purse her lips. He pushed his long hair back again, letting his hands stay at his sides. "I consider her a friend and I will be worried for her if I want to."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't..." Jeonghwa shook her head. "Um, if she is your friend then we should search for her before it gets too dark."

"What happened to staying still and letting her find us?" Namjoon raised a brow. Jeonghwa was getting flustered at his words. She wanted to run back and have Solji handle the King. Namjoon sighed to himself as he snapped his fingers. "Put my hair in a bun. We'll wait for her and if she is not back by when it's done then we'll get the others."

"Yes, your Highness! That sounds like an excellent idea to me." Jeonghwa relaxed, rushing to grab his long black locks. Namjoon smiled softly as she began to work with his hair. Luckily Jeonghwa was tall enough to do his hair without making him sit down. The most he needed to do was bend down slightly. All the angels were pretty tall. Jeonghwa hummed as she did his hair and you're sure she didn't even realize it. While she did his hair, you quietly collected enough firewood to last the night. It took you a bit of time, but you did your best to hurry. You highly doubted anything wrong would go between them. Jeonghwa just might talk a lot is all. Eventually you returned as Jeonghwa finished up with the King's hair. Already you could tell that atmosphere had changed with how big Jeonghwa was smiling. "Oh, look at you! You're so handsome with your hair up, your Majesty!"

"You think so?" Namjoon began to smirk with pride. It made you wonder what you missed while retrieving the wood. Jeonghwa must have been showering him in compliments like a lady of the court.

"I bet (F/n) unnie would agree!" Jeonghwa nodded.

"I do. He looks very handsome." You stepped towards them, seeing the two get surprised at your voice. Jeonghwa gasped in excitement while Namjoon marched towards you with a glare. "Yes, my King?"

"Where were you? Where did you go? You have no idea how much you worried Jeonghwa and I!" Namjoon huffed as he pointed back at Angel Jeonghwa. The maknae nodded, giving you a small pout. You wanted to scoff since you knew she was doing a lot better at staying calm than him. She was suddenly siding with him to make you look bad? You pouted in return, knowing she was only being playful.

"I thought I lost an Unnie!" Jeonghwa put her hands on her chest dramatically. You expected this from her.

"Don't say things like that." You shook your head.

"Who abandons their friends like that?" Jeonghwa countered. You bit your lip, not knowing what to say. Namjoon grinned just like the maknae to your dismay. It appears he was finally growing comfortable around her. You went up to Jeonghwa, giving her half of the wood and ignored her frown.

"Don't make me remind you that I'm older than you." You tsked.

"You already did!" Jeonghwa laughed, turning back to where the others were. Namjoon came by your side, sighing softly as all of you began walking back. You looked up at him to notice his little smile.

"Successful?" You raised a brow.

"I think so...wait, you left us on purpose?" Namjoon furrowed his brows on you. Pursing your lips, you began walking faster as he chased after you. He was trying so hard not to fall as he trailed behind you. It was for a good cause!


	14. Old Friend

[Chang Hwayoung]

Ch.13

Namjoon hadn't realized how much befriending Jeonghwa would change things. The two of you still got your moments alone, but he had another friendly face among him. She obviously wasn't as close to him as you were. That was something she would have to work on, but now Namjoon could comfortably talk to her at least. He wasn't awkwardly fidgeting or giving her the cold shoulder anymore. Now he knew her and got along well. Jeonghwa is a sweet girl and Namjoon occasionally speaks to her on his own. It was something the other angels were beginning to notice. His friendliness towards you and Jeonghwa was happening naturally. Next on the list was Chang Hwayoung.

Another target that they would easily understand. She's his other shadow. Another part of him and you. Hwayoung is your closest friend so you know practically every detail about her. Even some of the things she probably wouldn't want you to know. Though you're doing your best to ignore those thoughts and focus on the trip. Helping Namjoon gain friends was important too! Namjoon told you that Hwayoung was colder than he was to anyone but Seungwon. You immediately had to disagree since Hwayoung wasn't a cold person. That was a complete misunderstanding. She can be easily misunderstood, but you wanted Namjoon to know that your best friend has a pure heart. She can be very warm when she wants to be!

It almost surprised you how much Namjoon didn't think he could befriend Hwayoung. He used to get along with her a bit when you guys were youngers. What was the difference now? But Namjoon for some reason wanted to move her to the end of the list and claimed Solji would be easier than her. That you weren't so sure about. At least he's close friends with Seungwon and her fate is also surrounded around Namjoon. She's close to him in that way. You just hope she won't resent him in any way. Biting down on your tongue, you reminded yourself to get those poor thoughts out of your head. You wish you hadn't seen the conversation between the two lovers. It would save you from all these distractions.

A part of you wanted to ask Namjoon about it. Then again, that would only cause problems. From what you remember from that night is that Namjoon is aware the two want to get married and they want to leave their titles. What he doesn't know is that they plan to leave no matter the answer he gives them. It was none of your business no matter how much you wanted to say something to Hwayoung. It always stuck in the back of your head and you wished it would disappear. Right now you wanted to focus on helping Namjoon befriend her. You wanted him to see how great she is and hopefully not hate her if she does runaway with his best friend if he says no in the end.

The right window was open, allowing you to peer inside the carriage. Namjoon was sitting inside with his hair done up in a bun as he wore a gat. The black ribbon was tied under his chin while beads laid against his chest. He wasn't dressed like he did back in the palace, but he was still handsome. Almost unnecessarily handsome. He kept his eyes forward despite feeling your gaze. Mainly because he knew you would tell him to open the left window already. You wanted him to have the guts to look at Hwayoung in the first place. For some reason he didn't even want to acknowledge her, claiming that she was Seungwon's woman and not for him to even look at.

"It's not like you're trying to seduce her." You hissed. You knew he could hear you with the way he swallowed. Seungwon couldn't care less if Namjoon glanced at his lover. The reason being because Seungwon wasn't the type to get jealous so easily and he knew Namjoon better than anyone. The male has no charms when it comes to women. Unfortunately for him, he's stuck with seven of them and soon to be eight when Lady Eunchae joins you all. He better improve now. "King."

"Are you threatening me?" Namjoon kept his gaze straight forward.

"I would never." You frowned, doing your best to keep your voice low. "I only want you to see that Hwayoung is not so bad. Open the window."

"I don't feel like taking orders from my shadow at the moment." Namjoon reached for the window slide. Your lips thinned as he quietly shut it. Pouting to yourself, you looked down at Happy before sighing to yourself. At least Happy listens to you.

Namjoon was only being shy at the moment. You know that once you guys stop for water that he's going to apologize. That was one thing you learned about being friends with Namjoon is that he is a lot more gentle than he comes off to the others. There is so much you can get away with compared to the rest of the angels. It was almost funny, but you made sure not to take it too far. It'd be wrong of you to take advantage of him. You knew your place as his angel. If you pushed the boundary then that's when you feel fate would punish you. Being his friend is risky enough. Though getting him to befriend all his angels can't get you in trouble. Fate might reward you in some way. What's wrong with making friends?

You rode Happy for a few more hours until Heeyeon spotted a creek. It was time to take advantage of drinkable water. All the angels smiled as they pulled over to the side, allowing their horses to rest for a few minutes with them. Happy drank water with you at the bank of the creek. His hooves were in the water while you crouched on a couple of dry rocks. You didn't feel like getting in the water today. You held the wooden bowl up to your lips, drinking the cold water with delight. That was exactly what you needed. Closing your eyes, you felt so relieved that Heeyeon found the creek. Any later and you would have bugged Hyojin to borrow her pouch of water. You finished yours earlier and speaking of which, you need to refill it.

"Hold still, Happy." You removed the pouch that was hanging on his saddle. The strings weren't that strong, but the leather bag kept the water cool. It did its job well enough. Crouching back down, you let the water flow into the pouch all by itself.

"There you are," Namjoon's voice spoke behind you. Turning your head, he stared down at you with his hands behind his back. "I was getting thirsty. Get me some water."

"My King..." You almost squeezed the water out of your pouch. Lifting it up, you sealed it before handing the wooden bowl over to him. He took it into his hands and looked at it as if it were a foreign object. "I have a better idea. Why don't you ask Hwayoung?"

"H-Hwayoung? But I came to you." Namjoon frowned. He stretched his hand out to you again, shaking the item.

"Please, Namjoon." You smiled. "Hwayoung won't be hard to befriend."

"You say that because you're already friends with her," Namjoon muttered as he turned around. He didn't want to do it yet he found himself doing it for you. The King listening to his shadow? It was almost a joke. He moved slowly towards his other shadow, not wanting to follow through with this plan anymore. You watched him inched towards the girl and smiled. He's very awkward.

Namjoon's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Did I really have to befriend her? It's not that I harbored any ill feelings towards her. She is a nice person and I knew that. She would do a lot to protect him me which she has proven in the past. She's an angel I can trust and (F/n) doesn't have to tell me that for me to know. Seungwon doesn't have to tell me that for me to know. It's just that...Hwayoung occasionally scares me. She's fine otherwise! She treats Seungwon lovingly and I can tell she cares for (F/n) a lot. But yes, that's one bit of her that leaves me unsettled. She's scary and I don't recall being super friendly with her when we were kids. We got along to an extent, I suppose.

It's not like she had ever done anything for me to feel unsure about her. All the angels are trained to practically behave like soldiers. They carry no emotions on their face nor in their tone of voice. Most of the angels let it slip and relax. They act as politely as any palace woman would treat me but Hwayoung was the exception. She constantly behaved like an emotionless rock near me and the other angels. It was strange to witness. Being around her was always the most awkward experience. My communicating skills already weren't the best and (F/n) wants me to befriend a rock? I could already feel the invisible glare Seungwon would be giving me if I said this out loud. He'd be ready to pull me by the hair. I scoffed at the thought.

He loved that woman more than anything else in his life. That became clear to me the moment he asked me that favor before I left. I haven't spent too much thought on it like I had promised. It was still too hard to think about. I wanted to selfishly keep them, but what good would that do me if they turn sour against me? It was a lot to take in. Holding the wooden bowl, I stared at Hwayoung and contemplated my life. Seungwon is my best friend, but I still wonder how he managed to fall in love with her. Of course she shows emotion when around him yet I couldn't get over it. He has some interesting taste in women. Hwayoung sealed her pouch when I finally convinced my legs to move towards her.

"Angel Hwayoung. Water." I shoved to bowl down to her face. Hwayoung blinked at the bowl, the object less than an inch away from her face. She silently took the bowl as she scooped up water for me. Carefully standing up, Hwayoung held it back towards me.

"Your water, your Grace." Hwayoung bowed.

"Thank you." I took it. She then walked away as I downed the water. My throat had gotten extremely dry during that small exchange. Why is she like that?! Why am I like this!?

Water dribbled down my chin as I drank the water desperately, thinking back on my actions. I shoved the bowl in her face and acted incredibly stiff towards her. The usual way I treat the angels, but I'm supposed to work on being friends with her. I need to be warm! Friendly! Sighing heavily, I lowered the bowl as I turned to face (F/n). She stood with a small frown on her face. She tugged on her horse's reins, bringing him back to the right side of my carriage. Everyone was preparing to leave again. Solji shouted for the angels to get their horses back into position for the journey. Groaning to myself, I walked over to my carriage and hoped (F/n) wasn't too disappointed with my effort. I really did try!

Jeonghwa opened the carriage doors for me. She bowed with a small smile on her face which managed to cheer me up a bit. (F/n) wasn't too wrong when she said making friends wouldn't hurt. I'm honestly not even quite sure how I became friends with Jeonghwa. It somehow happened while she did my hair. She is a lot more charismatic than me. That's for sure. The carriage doors shut as I got comfortable in my seat. Solji's voice could be heard outside, shouting orders and running through the schedule for today. It won't be long before the evening hits so we had a limited amount of time to travel. There was still more than two weeks left until I meet Lady Eunchae. That meant I had more than enough time to befriend the other angels in (F/n)'s eyes. I'll do my best for her.

"Angel (F/n)." I opened the right window. She was already on her horse as the carriage began to move. She moved forward as well before glancing at me. A smile appeared on my lips to see her. I had no control over the smile any time I looked at her. "I tried earlier."

"I saw, but you were so cold," She whispered. Her lips came out in the slightest pout. Something about it managed to make my smile grow wider. She can be so cute at times. "King!"

"Huh?" I stopped looking at her lips to meet her frustrated eyes. Immediately, my skin felt as if it were on fire. I was in shock from my own actions that I hadn't fully processed what was going on. Disappointment was clear on (F/n)'s face. Out of all the angels to befriend, this one was the most important to her and I was busy staring at her pout. What is wrong with me? Somehow I was more embarrassed than I thought I would be. "I-I apologize—"

"Talk to Hwayoung," She said, holding the reins tightly on her horse. (F/n) looked forward with an emotionless expression. That let me know she didn't plan on speaking to me anymore until I actually made an effort to talk to Hwayoung. Biting the inside of my cheek, I quietly shut the window and sighed to myself in the carriage. Just talk to Hwayoung. How hard can it be?

"You're Kim Namjoon. The King!" I told myself, trying to motivate myself. I needed to feel that rush of adrenaline to force myself to do this. This is for (F/n)! I let out a heavy breath as I reached out to the left window. Sliding it open, I stared at Hwayoung until she looked back at me.

"Yes, my King?" Hwayoung held no emotion in her voice. Nothing. It truly felt like I was speaking to a statue.

"Er...how are you?" I wanted to hit my head against something. Hwayoung only blinked at me once, staying silent for what felt like eternity.

"I am well, my King. Thank you for asking." Hwayoung bowed her head. "It is rude of me not to ask how you are doing. Is something wrong?"

"An, no. Nothing is wrong at all." I shook my head, giving her a tight smile. "I only wanted to have conversation."

"I see." Hwayoung glanced forward before returning her gaze. "Unfortunately, I must stay alert instead of talking in order to protect you with all my ability."

"I'd imagine so...continue as you were." I raised my hand. She bowed her head to me like she always did. Everything she did was by the book it felt. She was the most traditional angel, following all the strict rules constantly. I shut the left window, leaving myself alone inside my carriage. No success again.

*~*

_We were seven back then. By 'we', I meant my shadows and me. They were my blessed angels according to my mother. Born of the same year so of course we played together and considered each other like friends. Mother and father were dealing with a meeting in the royal court. It was something that didn't catch my interest. What am I supposed to do? The last thing I wanted to do was just sit there and listen to a bunch of boring old men. All they did was talk over one another and tell my father how to be King. Those meetings only made me upset. When I'm King, I won't let any of them tell me how to be King! And I have seven angels to back me up._

_The older ones were currently in classes at the moment. The only ones free to be by my side were Hwayoung and (F/n). They were my closest friends since we were all born the same year! Jeonghwa didn't have to go to the classes, but she was too young to play with us. We left her with the palace women to eat fruit and she didn't complain much. Then that left us to sneak out to the field without getting caught by any of the royal guards. They hated it when I went outside of the palace. It was right outside and guarded less, but I wanted to play out there._

_Hwayoung led the way with me following behind her. Behind me was (F/n) who wouldn't stop giggling. I kept telling her to be quiet or else we would be caught. Doesn't she know how serious this is? Hwayoung didn't say anything the entire time unless we needed to be quiet or follow specific instructions. Hwayoung has always been smart and has shown the most potential in being my shadow according to my mother. She expects the most from her and I guess I could see why. We managed to make it into the wheat field without any of the royal guards spotting us. Once we were in the field, we were free to play for however long we wanted. They couldn't find us since we hid perfectly well in the wheat. We were all short, unable to even poke our heads above the plants._

_"Hide and seek in the field?" Hwayoung asked._

_"That's what we came out here for!" I huffed since it was so obvious. (F/n) smiled at the both of us, bouncing on her toes. She wasn't talking too much this morning. Though she was always happy, I found it a little weird today. Something was a little off. I stared at her when I noticed bruising around her arm. "What's—"_

_"Namjoon!" Hwayoung interrupted me. I pouted right away, frustrated that she would do that. I looked back at her to see her shaking her head. What? I didn't understand what was so wrong with what I wanted to ask. I ignored her as I faced (F/n) again, grabbing her wrist. She flinched as I held her tightly, (F/n) no longer smiling as she tried to pull her hand away from me._

_"Y-You're hurting me, Namjoon." (F/n) whined._

_"I just want to know—"_

_"There's a secret about this field, y'know?" Hwayoung inserted herself into our conversation. Growling at the interruption, I watched her separate (F/n) from me. I wasn't hurting her that much, was I? (F/n) stared curiously at Hwayoung while I crossed my arms. "Whoever you find roaming in the field of wheat first is your soulmate! Fate has the two connected in their past lives and in the next."_

_"Really? That's so sweet!" (F/n) began to smile again. She clasped her hands together, bouncing on her toes once more._

_"I don't believe it," I grumbled. Hwayoung sent me a bitter look that automatically made me gulp. "I-I'm just saying because there's only you and (F/n) here. And I really don't want you to be my soulmate."_

_"I wouldn't want that either." Hwayoung put her hands on her hips before glancing at (F/n). "That must mean she's your soulmate!"_

_"Me?" (F/n)'s eyes widened. I looked at her, our eyes connecting. A weird feeling went through my stomach in that moment. She soon shook her head as her face turned pink. "I'm his angel. Not his soulmate, Silly."_

_"Yeah! I'm going to marry a princess!" I put my hand on my chest, trying to ignore how flustered I felt._

_"Are you saying that just because you don't like either of us?" Hwayoung teased though she really couldn't care less._

_"I'm just saying..." I felt the back of my neck heat up. My eyes glanced over at (F/n) for some reason. I then shook my head as I balled up my hands. "We're friends!"_

_"I was only teasing." Hwayoung smiled. "Let's just play already. You seek!"_

_"What?" My jaw almost dropped._

_Hwayoung and (F/n) ran off before I could do any more whining. Why did I have to seek? This was not fair! Stomping my foot, I brought my hands up to my eyes and began counting for a while. I gave them enough time to think they were safe before I called out that I was coming for them. That's when I heard their giggles spread out. I knew I would find them in the end. They always have to let me win. It won't be long before I catch (F/n) and Hwayoung. I was ready to rub it in their faces as I pushed through the tall wheat. They tickled against my skin as I ran around the field._

_That's when I noticed movement that wasn't from me. A smirk appeared on my lips to catch them so easily like this. They should have known better. Carefully stepping in the direction of the movement, I was ready to pounce like a predator would to their prey. My legs pushed me forward in the wheat, my body immediately crashing into another. They were small as me, yelping as we fell down together. Maybe I should have not thrown myself so carelessly. The two of us groaned from the pain, but we were fine. No scratches or anything like that. I sat up to see it was (F/n) lying down next to me. I chuckled, dusting myself off as I stood up. I held my hand out for her to take. Just as she took it to stand up, we heard loud shouting from a familiar voice._

_"Where is the Crown Prince!? I know he's out here!!" She screeched. It was the head lady of the court and she always ruined our fun. (F/n) became tense, the two of staying still in the wheat field. "Crown Prince!! Come out!"_

_"You'll get in trouble..." (F/n) mumbled as she hugged me tightly. She refused to let me go in order to protect me. The palace woman narrowed her eyes over the field, unable to spot me anywhere._

_"You'll get in more trouble than me," I whispered. (F/n) only held me tighter as we heard rustling in the wheat. Our eyes widened when we heard Hwayoung's cries._

_The head lady of the court found Hwayoung in the wheat. She grabbed the girl by the wrist, immediately pulling her out without any ounce of kindness. Hwayoung was shaking in fear, wanting to run back into the field. Though she also didn't want to give away the hiding spots of her friends. The small girl was being screamed at and it was hard to listen to. (F/n) and I stayed close to each other in fear. While she kept her eyes closed, I managed to get the slightest view of the two. Hwayoung had her head down as the woman castigated her for whatever reason. It didn't feel fair to me. Even if I wanted to run out, (F/n) wouldn't let me in an attempt to protect me from getting scolded._

_"Where is the Crown Prince!?" The court lady screamed. Hwayoung flinched, lowering her head more._

_"I don't know..."_

_"What do you mean you don't know!?"_

_"We were playing hide and seek," Hwayoung answered. It was the honest truth, but it only infuriated the woman. Her nostrils flared before she roughly slapped Hwayoung. The small girl fell to the ground from the strong hit. (F/n) whimpered while I squirmed in her hold. Anger was bubbling up inside me to see that happening to my friend._

_"He is the royal Crown Prince! Enough of this playing!" The older woman gritted her teeth. I was trying to escape (F/n)'s hold as Hwayoung was roughly picked up by the wench. My eyes were burning the longer they stared at the lady of the court._

_"Let me go!" I huffed. "Why wouldn't she just reveal us? I don't understand why she would get hurt for us!"_

_"It's for you, Crown Prince," (F/n) said. It was the first time I ever heard her refer to me by my title. Freezing in my spot, I turned to face her again in shock. "My Eomeoni says us angels should grow to take all the pain so you can rule peacefully."_

_"Why would you ever want to get hurt for me? That doesn't make sense! No!" I frowned. There was nothing I could do though. Hwayoung was already taken away by the palace women who were threatening to hurt her further while (F/n) begged me to be quiet for my own safety. This felt wrong. It was wrong._

*~*

I didn't say anything for the rest of the day. There was no point in opening the right window. If I did that then I would receive the silent treatment and then I would practically get the same from the left window. Those two were opposites, but so similar at the same time. I was dying of boredom the entire time I was in the carriage. So badly did I want to hear Solji shouting that we would be stopping for the night. I did end up poking my head out of the front carriage only for Jeonghwa to tell me that it's not safe to keep them open like that. That left me back in my box for a couple hours until Solji finally answered my prayers by the evening.

"We'll be resting here for the night. Everyone perform the same jobs I gave you unless told otherwise," Solji announced.

"Finally! Finally!" I muttered to myself as I felt the carriage slowly coming to a halt.

My patience had reached its limit. Normally, I didn't mind being alone. Solitude was something I preferred yet it was making me go mad inside the carriage. The fact that (F/n) was just outside for me to talk to, but she didn't want to was making me lose it. I didn't want to force it either. The last thing I wanted to do was upset her. I need to put in more effort in talking to Hwayoung even though it was so hard. The moment Hwayoung and I get along, (F/n) will be so proud of me. She'll see how much I tried to make it happen! I just wanted to talk to her again.

Jeonghwa opened the carriage doors for me. She helped me get out before going to her assigned job. I spotted (F/n) right away. She was putting her horse to the side with the others. My gaze stayed on her for the longest time until she bothered to glance in my direction. Clearing my throat, I turned away in sudden panic. I couldn't even understand my own reaction but that's alright. I needed to focus on the task at hand. My current mission was befriending Hwayoung no matter how hard it may be. The angel was already searching for any signs of water nearby.

I quickly went after her, watching my steps as I went further into the woods with her. I couldn't afford to lose her. Hwayoung walked with multiple water pouches. Her footsteps were quiet and mine...everything was fine until I stepped on a branch. She turned around in an instant, her brows raising slightly to see me standing behind her. Hwayoung properly faced me to bow while I took in a breath. The two of us are going to need less of this formal atmosphere if we ever intend on becoming friends. Being King is not always fun.

"Did you not know I was following you?" I asked.

"I knew someone was. I just didn't think it would be you, my King," Hwayoung stated. She brought her hand up the many straps of the pouches, wrapping her hand around them. "Do you need me?"

"I wanted to come with you and chat." I smiled, putting my hands behind my back. Hwayoung appeared stiff in front of me as she took in my words.

"Chat? Chat..." She was in disbelief. It wasn't like me to want to simply just talk. Especially not with her.

"Yes! Things such as the weather and things of that nature..." I was growing irritated with myself. I would never act this way with Seungwon or (F/n). How come I couldn't act natural? Hwayoung was doing her best to process the situation. Though she nodded, I could tell she was in disbelief. I swore at myself for even mentioning the weather. If I want to get closer to Hwayoung then I have to do it the only way I know how. "...Actually, I wanted to discuss something important." I began to walk forward so we could get further away from the other angels.

"What do you have in mind, your Majesty?" Hwayoung followed me, keeping up with my pace. We were walking towards the sound of running water. It was faint, but we could hear it.

"I accepted the marriage between Seungwon and you. I want to do everything I can for you two," I said to see her pause in her steps. We stood in front of the river, but we stayed away from it. I faced her as I continued, "I know the two of you will have a marriage filled with happiness. I wish the best for you two."

"...King," Hwayoung started. It was then when I noticed her eyes tearing up for the first time in my life. I didn't expect to be so shocked to see her like this. "Thank you." She bowed as I sighed.

"Don't thank me yet." I lifted her shoulders up. She stared at me with a tear rolling down her cheek. The marriage alone had her so happy. Seungwon was practically shaking when he asked me. It means so much to them and their love is so strong. Even if it hurt me, I knew what I would inevitably say to them. "Seungwon told me that he wants to leave with you. No more ties with the palace so he can live a peaceful life with you."

"That's true...h-have you made a decision already?" Hwayoung took in a deep breath.

"I have not, but I will say that I am slowly warming up to the idea. Potentially—"

"Potentially!?" Hwayoung grinned, bouncing in front of me. A chuckle slipped out of my lips to see her true emotions finally coming out. Now I was beginning to understand why Seungwon cherished her so much. Her little movements reminding me of (F/n) managed to make my heart feel soft. I wouldn't be able to deny this couple in the end. I knew it.

"Yes, potentially." I smiled. "That is all I will say about that for the rest of the journey."

"Of course, your Highness! I will not press about this at all!" Hwayoung bowed, unable to remove the joy from her face.

"But you are still with me so I remind you to give me your best! Protect me, work hard, whatever they trained you to do for me." I sighed as she nodded.

"I will be the best shadow you ever have!" Hwayoung placed her hand on her heart.

"And you will also treat me with a friendlier atmosphere." I crossed my arms to see her tilt her head at me. "You're the lover of my best friend. I would like to get along with you too as well if you _potentially_ leave me one day."

"Oh! Well, I will try my best at that as well. You are extremely close with my man." Hwayoung began to pull off one pouch as she walked towards the river.

"Yes, you will not believe the way he disrespects me when we're all alone!" I scoffed. I could already feel myself getting frustrated based off memories. Hwayoung laughed, filling the pouches with water one by one.

"I can certainly imagine."


	15. Buns & Berries

Ch.14

When you came back with firewood, you saw Hwayoung and Namjoon coming back together. All the pouches were filled with water. She performed her task with a small smile on her face. Though she wasn't exactly bouncing in joy, you could see it in her eyes. Next to her was Namjoon who was chuckling after he said something. He didn't look stiff next to her. The two of them looked relaxed as they came over to the bamboo mats. You'd be lying if you said you weren't taken by surprise. Those two tend to only open up to a handful of people and even then they don't do it so easily. Now they managed to look like friends. You couldn't help smile at them as Namjoon helped pass out everyone's water pouches. He gently handed you yours as you gave him the biggest smile.

Namjoon's dimples appeared on his cheeks. They made him look gentle and kind. The rest of the angels had their pouches already, allowing Namjoon so sit down next to you. The hunters were preparing the animals they caught. Solji was starting the fire with Hwayoung while Jeonghwa was already lying down on one of the bamboo mats. Namjoon untied his gat, putting it down on his lap quietly. Solji got the fire started, the flames slowly rising as she poked at the wood. She kept an eye on it as well as Namjoon and you. The two of you stared at the fire silently for a few couple minutes. It wasn't until the angels started making a lot of noise that you began talking.

"That's not funny!!" Jeonghwa screeched.

"It's only a squirrel!" Hyojin huffed.

"It's _dead_ , Unnie!" Jeonghwa glared at her. Hyojin decided to play with her food a bit before cooking it. Some angels were shaking their heads and the others were doing their best to hold in their laughter.

"My King," You started, turning to face Namjoon. He looked over at you with a single brow raised curiously. "You spoke with Hwayoung?"

"I did. I believe I have gained another companion on this trip." Namjoon smiled, his eyes traveling over to Hyelin. "Four more to go."

Seo Hyelin was next in line to become Namjoon's friend. Her personality could be seen as a lot to Namjoon. You knew first hand that it takes some getting used to for those who haven't grown up with her. Though Namjoon was raised in the same palace as her, his personality couldn't be more different than Hyelin's. She could get a bit...crazy. She was an unnie that would often act younger than her age. Despite that, there was a lot about her that you really did enjoy. Her cheerful and silly attitude could always cheer you up. Then she's also a lot more skilled than people give her credit for. You figure she could be easy to befriend. If Namjoon got Hwayoung to open up to him then he can get Hyelin too. The only people you believe will be the hardest are Hyojin and Solji.

She's a very friendly person so you doubt Namjoon will struggle with talking to her. He might feel awkward and think she's strange, but he'll grow used to it. He'll appreciate the differences in all his angels. Namjoon promised you he would start tomorrow with befriending the girl. He did ask for help, but you didn't quite know what to tell him. Hyelin was quite spontaneous so you weren't sure if planning anything would be of any help. Saying that got him to panic. It was evident in the way his eyes grew yet Namjoon insisted he was okay. You patted his back when none of the angels were looking, quietly reassuring him that you believed in him.

All of you ate the food that was caught. There was a lot more talking on Namjoon's part, but he was still quiet. He at least spoke more freely to Hwayoung and Jeonghwa. Then to you as well which was slowly getting noticed by the other angels. How could they scold the angels for acting close to the King when he's treating them as such? A smile remained on your face the entire time. It won't be long before he befriends all of them. Then all of you will be like a true team, embracing fate to the fullest. You were able to sleep happily that night though you did have to wake up early when Heeyeon's watch shift was over. She fell asleep instantly while you kept the fire alive and made sure the other angels and King were safe.

By the time it was morning, the angels were all awake and preparing for a long day. Namjoon stayed resting inside his carriage. No one bothered to wake him up. Everyone got on their horses and with one word from Solji, all of you were off. The journey felt extremely slow, but you knew you would be thrilled by the end of it. One month of waiting to meet your future Queen. It's going to be worth it in the end! It already made you so curious. How does she look? What's her favorite food? You hope that she gets along well with all the angels. It made you wonder how spending time with her will be like. Hopefully she cherishes the King. Namjoon deserves so much love.

Glancing at the carriage at your side, you smiled instantly. Something in your chest fluttered and it took you by surprise. You decided to shake it off, continuing to ride forward with Happy. Inside the carriage was Namjoon who was barely waking up. He could feel the carriage moving against the rough earth, yawning as he opened his eyes. He rubbed his eyes as he straightened his posture. The male slowly opened the window to his right, letting the cold morning air in. He smiled before opening the left window as well. He sighed to himself as he grabbed his gat off the floor of the carriage. He dusted it off, smiling to himself.

"Tell Solji to stop travel for a moment," Namjoon requested. You heard his voice, turning to face him in surprise. On the other side of the carriage, Hwayoung was just as stunned.

"Is there any particular reason why?" Hwayoung asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Namjoon pointed to his head. His bun was messy and loose, multiple strands slipping out of the ribbon that kept it still.

"That'll be a quick fix." You shrugged as you looked over to Solji up in the front. "Angel Solji! The King requests to stop for a moment."

"Stop?" Solji raised a brow. She lifted her hand, everyone coming to a halt. The angels were confused at his sudden request. The carriage doors then opened wide, Namjoon stepping out on his own. Jeonghwa got off her horse immediately in worry. The rest of you climbed off and walked closer to the King.

"Angel Hyelin." Namjoon looked in her direction. The girl's eyes widened to hear her name leaving the King's mouth. She stayed still until Heeyeon nudged her shoulder, Hyelin bowing right away. "Do you know how to put hair into a bun?"

"I do!" Hyelin smiled. "Do you want me to fix your bun?"

"Yes—"

"You don't have to ask me twice, my King. I will make sure your bun is the best in the entire nation!" Hyelin put her hand on her chest, patting it twice for emphasis. Namjoon gave her a small smile as she grabbed his wrist, tugging him over to sit. "Just sit back and relax!"

"I-I will—"

"As you can see, I'm great with my own hair too! You're in great hands!" Hyelin showed her braided hair as an example. You bit your lip, trying to hold back laughter. Namjoon was already getting overwhelmed by Hyelin's personality. You had a feeling this would happen. Hyelin is only excited that the King is asking for her help.

"Let him talk. You keep interrupting him." Hyojin put her hands on her hips.

"It's fine..." Namjoon looked incredibly stiff.

Hyelin carefully untied his ribbon, letting his long locks fall past his shoulders. You sat with the other angels as his hair got done. It looked like the other angels were beginning to braid each other's hair for fun too. You laughed as Hwayoung offered to braid your own hair. Of course, you accepted! As she did your hair, you continued to watch Namjoon. He looked so alarmed as Hyelin did his hair. She was carefully trying to remove tangles and kept telling him to let her know if he feels pain.

For some reason you just couldn't take your eyes off Namjoon. You wanted to make sure he was doing well, but you also found yourself appreciating his appearance. Did the King know he looked handsome with his hair down? You blushed at your thoughts, smiling as Namjoon stared back at you. His eyes were almost filled with fear. What did he think Hyelin was doing with his hair? You giggled again causing Namjoon to relax. Hyelin was able to do his hair in peace, talking about all kinds of random thoughts that popped into her head. Namjoon didn't quite listen as he watched you laugh and smile. His own chest fluttering at the sight.

*~*

_Namjoon sat next to his mother as the royal meeting began. He yawned, wishing he hadn't been woken up for this. The only reason he was here in the first place was because his mother demanded it. She insisted that it was important for him to know how these meetings work. He knew how they worked just fine. He just found them boring. It was full of kiss ups or officers that didn't know when to shut up. They at least showed his father more respect when he was alive. Now that his mother had taken over, they tend to act however they please until their life gets threatened. Namjoon is only sixteen years old, but he was smart enough to see that this was a waste of his time._

_Seungwon sat in the back of the room even though Namjoon insisted he just sit next to one of the historians. He didn't want to interfere with the current business that would be happening. Everyone suggested it take place at the royal investigation bureau, but the Queen didn't want to make this too big. She wanted to handle situation as if it never happened. The thing was that a spy had been caught, but not just any spy. The Queen would have killed them herself if they came from Baekje or Silla. Instead this person came from the east. China._

_The last thing the Queen wanted to do was start a war. There was already some tension when it came to the territory up north. Namjoon figured this meeting could potentially be interesting. The large doors opened wide as the Chinese spy was dragged in. His arms were restricted as two guards stood close to him. Namjoon was intrigued when something else caught his attention. One of his angel's was announced, entering the royal court before the doors were closed behind her. She walked forward to bow to the Queen. Grumbles were already passing around the room by old scholars and officers. All they ever did was complain._

_"Too many women in this royal court...what has this nation come to?" A man nudged another next to him._

_"This meeting will commence." The Queen leaned forward in her seat, narrowing her eyes on the spy. "What is your name?"_

_"..." He stayed silent. The men in the room were ready to start rioting. The Queen of this nation had asked him a question and he had the audacity to stay silent. While they all lost their temper, the Queen remained calm. Namjoon watched his mother carefully, seeing her give the angel a nod._

_"Hyelin."_

_"Yes, my Queen." She smiled as she faced the spy._

_The foreign language left Hyelin's lips. It was one Namjoon was familiar with, but he didn't consider himself any good at it. He was impressed to see Hyelin speaking it fluently to the captured man. That's why she was invited here. It began to make sense to the Crown Prince as he watched his angel. Hyelin handled communication like translating but also letters. Not that Namjoon ever planned on having her write or send anything for him. He was perfectly fine doing that on his own and if he couldn't be bothered to do it himself then it would be Seungwon's job. His angels were hardly ever used to his mother's disliking. Namjoon believed that's why the Queen tried to use them to show how useful they could be to him._

_The meeting continued with Hyelin doing a lot of the talking. It felt like a long and dragging process to the old men in the room. For once, Namjoon actually enjoyed one of these meetings. He shushed any officer who tried to speak and his mother let him. He paid attention all the way through. It ended with the spy receiving a harsh warning. He would be sent on a boat back to China, but if he comes back then there will be no mercy against him anymore. Namjoon was surprised it concluded so peacefully. He liked that. Though all the other old men were put in a bitter mood by it somehow. As soon as the Queen left and the spy was taken away again, they opened their big mouths._

_"An entire meeting conducted by women!" One scoffed._

_"They're too delicate. A spy should be killed, not released!"_

_"I wanted to request the Queen to reconsider her decision, but..." A man glanced in Namjoon's direction. Anyone who bothered to speak had to deal with him. Namjoon wanted them silent and it got on their nerves. Probably not as much as their presence alone did to him. It almost made the Crown Prince proud that he could get under their skin. It was a little taste of their own medicine. He got up from his seat, looking over at Seungwon. He was prepared to leave when he saw Hyelin getting followed by a group of men from the meeting. Namjoon's brows furrowed instantly at the sight. He walked out of the room without speaking a word to Seungwon. His friend quietly trailed behind, the two catching up with the men and Hyelin._

_"You! You turn around and listen!" The head state councilor growled. Hyelin paused in her tracks, turning to face the group of men in confusion. She was just seventeen at the time._

_"Is there something you need?" Hyelin asked._

_"You speak with respect to us!" They glared at her. "You come in with no manners—"_

_"I was only following the Queen's orders." Hyelin shrugged. "Translate. Something none of you are capable of it looks like."_

_"You little—"_

_"I have to go now. I promised the other angels that we would go to the market together." Hyelin flashed them a huge smile. She said it all so easily with no fear in her voice nor her face. She began to walk away from them again when Namjoon saw one of the men about to aggressively grab at her. Namjoon took a step forward, ready to shout when Hyelin grabbed the man's hand instantly. Not a single word left Namjoon as he watched his angel throw an officer over her back. The rest of the men became tense as she continued to smile. "You do realize I was trained to kill, right? I'm giving you this warning to be nice." She giggled as they started to scatter in different directions. They couldn't bother to swallow their pride even then as they went off. Hyelin's eyes then connected with Namjoon and Seungwon's._

_"Are you alright?" Seungwon didn't even know what to say. That was the first thing that popped in his head, but Hyelin appreciated it._

_"Of course, young master." Hyelin bowed to the both of them. "And Crown Prince, I won't actually kill the men of your royal court. I only needed them to leave me alone."_

_"...I understand," Namjoon mumbled._

_"Thank you." Hyelin bowed with a large smile. She has always been an interesting angel._

*~*

Hyelin clapped her hands once she finished putting Namjoon's hair in a bun. There was not a single strand out of place. His hair was held tight and neat by the ribbon. Namjoon brought his hand up to his bun, smiling as he thanked her. Hyelin reached for Namjoon's gat, giving it to him with a slight bow. The rest of the angels finished braiding each other's hair as well. Hwayoung was done too with your new braid. A ribbon held it tight with your hair pin placed securely in your hair. The angels smiled as Namjoon announced that they were allowed to continue traveling forward. Solji repeated his words, the rest of you rushing back over to your horses.

Namjoon sat comfortably in his seat just as you got onto your horse. Happy neighed loudly which made you giggle. He was already moving forward with everything else. The journey was continuing and you genuinely felt like everything was going great. Not just the journey itself, but Namjoon's mission to befriend the angels. Hyelin may be a little oblivious to his efforts, but you're certain she would be thrilled to have the King consider her a friend. He only has to be more straight forward about it. You looked into the carriage's window, seeing Namjoon tie the ribbon of his gat. He adjusted it until he noticed your gaze on him.

"Hello." Namjoon smiled. The corners of his lips tugged upwards without any effort, yours doing the exact same.

"Hello, your Highness. Are you feeling more comfortable with your hair now?" You asked. Namjoon nodded before glancing at the left window. He quietly shut it as he faced you again.

"Is there anything I should know about Hyelin? It seems like I barely have to talk. She'll befriend me on her own at this rate." Namjoon chuckled.

"She can be quite talkative." You laughed. "Though I suggest being more upfront. She's naturally friendly, but she is also your angel. She will still keep boundaries out of habit."

"Thank you! I'm surprisingly not as nervous to talk to her...maybe overwhelmed at most." Namjoon shrugged, playing with beads attached to his gat. "I think it's getting easier now."

"That's great to hear! Next is Heeyeon." You grinned to see his smile become tight.

"I take it back about it getting easier." He immediately shook his head.

You bit your lip to hold in laughter. If you continue to laugh then Jeonghwa might ask what you find so funny. Clearing your throat, you continued to just smile at the King. Your cheeks were hurting from how wide your grin was. His dimples were deep in his own cheeks. After a while you had to look away from the King. You told yourself it was to see where exactly Happy was taking you, but you were also a little nervous inside. Namjoon is a naturally charming person yet things have been strange recently. Your heart would occasionally pound against the armor on your chest. It was something you weren't at all familiar with. You didn't want to bother Namjoon by talking about it though. He should focus on befriending the angels.

Namjoon waited to continue his progress with the angels. He figured it would be easier for him once Solji finds a spot to rest for the night. He spent a majority of his time in the carriage thinking of a plan. Hyelin is typically set in the hunting team, but he was planning on changing that for tonight. He was actually feeling quite confident in himself at the moment. He had enough motivation to make a new friend. Though Namjoon won't be as close to them as he is with you, he was already noticing the improvement. It finally didn't feel like he was stuck with strangers who had familiar faces. He was quite grateful you were pushing him to do this with his angels. He could only imagine the positives that would come out of this.

"We're stopping here for the night! Perform your tasks as always," Solji announced.

The evening came faster than Namjoon had expected, but he wasn't complaining. It was time to get the plan in action. He rubbed his hands together as Jeonghwa opened the carriage doors for him. The King thanked her as she helped him get down onto the ground. You had already gone off to find firewood and Hwayoung had left to search for water. Namjoon's eyes scanned the area when he finally spotted Hyelin beginning to leave with Heeyeon and Hyojin. He jogged over to her as quick as he could, calling her name. All three paused before turning to face him.

"I want to give Angel Hyelin a different task this evening. The two of you may continue." Namjoon watched them bow. The two went on with hunting while Hyelin waited for the King to say something. "I have a craving for berries and—"

"Berries!?" Hyelin gasped. "You came to the right person, your Majesty!" Hyelin bowed. She gave him a confident nod and determined look.

"It seems like you have many talents. Hair and berry picking." Namjoon chuckled, following Hyelin as the two went on a search together.

"I do my best! I try not to brag, but at the same time..." Hyelin shrugged.

Namjoon continued to laugh, finding this angel extremely entertaining. He could see why the other angels were always amused with Hyelin. There never was a dull moment with her. Another aspect of her that Namjoon enjoyed was that he didn't have to do much talking. He let the angel do all that for him. Once Hyelin began one of her many tangents, it was hard getting her to stop. She almost appeared to be in her own world as she talked. Namjoon trailed behind her as she examined multiple berries in the nature that surrounded them. By the time the two had a handful of berries, they finally realized they hadn't brought a basket or anything to carry them.

"Do you think you can carry them all back without dropping them?" Hyelin held her cupped berries carefully.

"Uh..." Namjoon winced as two berries rolled off of his hands.

"Those two are traitors to our nation. We don't need them." Hyelin scoffed.

"Ah, we keep having traitors!" Namjoon whined, doing his best to be careful with the berries. They only kept rolling before they all slipped onto the ground. Namjoon groaned in annoyance at himself.

"Hm...I know that I have no place to say this as your angel, but may I say something?" Hyelin blinked.

"Go ahead." Namjoon pursed his lips, untying his gat. He held it upside down as he picked up the berries one by one. He put them all in his gat, letting Hyelin place her berries in it as well.

"You're incredibly clumsy," Hyelin stated without hesitation. Namjoon fumbled with his gat, shocked she could say that so easily. He faced her with a warm face, noting how she didn't say that to mock him. Hyelin is a kind person but also very honest.

"How blunt." Namjoon managed to chuckle. He figured he should just laugh at himself rather than take it too personally. Hyelin's eyes widened, her face becoming pink as she became aware of how that must have sounded.

"I-I apologize, my King! That was rude of me!" Hyelin bowed, but Namjoon shook his head.

"No, I appreciate the honesty. There are not many people out there who speak truthfully. Especially to the King." Namjoon smiled at her. He wanted to follow her own honesty just like you had advised him to. Hyelin stared at Namjoon with stunned eyes. "Actually Angel Hyelin, the reason I wanted you to help me pick berries is because...I wanted to get to know one of my angels. I want to consider you a friend and have you consider me one too."

"Friend?" Hyelin's brows jumped. She pursed her lips in thought as she kept her gaze on the ground. Namjoon already knew she was struggling between accepting his thoughts and the famous saying of a King has no friends. Something he was believing less and less in. Hyelin spent a while in her mind before facing the King with a giant smile. "You know what, my King? It would be an absolute honor to have you as my friend."

"I'm thankful to hear that." Namjoon wanted to sigh in relief. He knew getting them to accept won't be easy as he gets to the older angels. The two began walking back with positive attitudes.

"I came to the conclusion that if I'm willing to die for you then you should at least be my friend." Hyelin laughed, getting Namjoon to join her in the amusement.

"The things you say..." Namjoon playfully shook his head as her grin grew.


	16. Challenge

Ch.15

Namjoon had successfully befriended four of the angels. Only three were left for him to check off the list. He had originally been shy and nervous at the idea, but you could see his confidence growing from this. He already knew them, but he just needed to get closer to them. Namjoon realized that once he lowered his walls, he was able to talk to them on an equal level. He used to speak down to you as if you were dirt and almost did the same to Jeonghwa. Now the two can have a friendly conversation that flows without much effort. Then Namjoon connected with Hwayoung on something they both shared together. Her trust was gained easier than he thought. Then his recent friend was Hyelin.

When they returned to the join the rest of you, those two couldn't stop laughing. Hyelin kept calling the berries 'traitors' for some reason. Then Namjoon would laugh anytime he made eye contact with her. That meant things were going really well! Everyone ate their food before going to sleep for the night. This time there was a lot more talking around the fire. It won't be long before Namjoon is laughing and talking with the rest of the angels. Just the thought had you excited. He went off to his carriage while the rest of the girls slept on the bamboo mats. You were taking the first shift of staying up. Later you would be switching out with Hwayoung.

While you stared up at the stars, you were thinking of little tips to give Namjoon. His next target is Ahn Heeyeon. She can be a little intimidating if you were being honest. Her looks were intense and her aura made her seem unapproachable. That might overwhelm Namjoon, but you trusted him to look past that. In reality, Heeyeon could be almost as silly as Hyelin. She is one of the brightest in the entire group. Heeyeon excelled in her education and was always praised when she was a student. You figure that could be something Namjoon and her could bond over. They would even have classes together in the past. Heeyeon would insist to be taught lessons she didn't even need. Women were already not taught many things, but Heeyeon liked to learn.

Hwayoung and you would be training in the practice yard while Heeyeon walked to class with heavy textbooks and scrolls in her hands. She studied philosophies from the west with Namjoon. You wondered why she would want to do that for fun. You learned what you needed like any other noblewoman, but you preferred physical training than reading. Though you saw it as a strange choice, you admired Heeyeon for it. She's intelligent and beautiful. The only thing was that she could occasionally forget that she's a lady. One class that Heeyeon did poorly in was etiquette of a noblewoman. It's not that she didn't know how to act like a flower, it's just that she didn't want to live like one. Heeyeon is quite the strong woman in your opinion.

*~*

_The teacher wasn't even in the practice yard. Only a couple of guards who were training new men to join them. While they took some of the practice space, you and Hwayoung battled with the wooden staffs. It wasn't intense. The two of you were only working on your stances and skills. You really enjoyed learning how to fight with Hwayoung. She corrected you whenever you made weak swings or gripped the staff in a way that could backfire on you. All you corrected her was on trying to get her to plant her feet onto the ground. She wanted to be able to move right away, but there's no power in her swing. The power had to come from her entire body and not just from her arms._

_The two of you were sweating from the continuous hours that you both were putting into this. You used to be weak at fighting with a sword. Hard work and stubborn determination got you to get this far. Fighting almost became an art to you. It was fun when it was practice. Using it to actually kill people was a different story. That reason for improving your skills didn't kill your passion though. It was necessary to fulfill your Fate. Hwayoung eventually called for a break which you were grateful for. Dropping down to the ground, you both laughed tiredly before spotting Heeyeon with multiple supplies in her arms._

_"Unnie!" You waved. Hwayoung silently waved as Heeyeon smiled at the both of you._

_"Ah, hello! Sorry! I can't talk right now! I'll be late to class. Later than I already am!" Heeyeon smiled despite how stressed she sounded. She then screamed in frustration as she kept going. Hwayoung and you looked at each other, simply shrugging._

_Heeyeon knew the scholar gave her a task just to make her late to his class. He wanted her to get some scrolls from the historians and other nonsense. In the end, Heeyeon knew he didn't like her for the fact that she was a woman taking his class. All he wanted was to teach the Crown Prince. He didn't talk much despite the scholar wanting to have many discussions with him over the material. The only one willing to talk and analyze the material was Heeyeon. Instead of praise, it only got her a scowl. Something she wasn't used to from former teachers and scholars. Scholar Yang had it out for the girl. He made it tough for her, but she was going to try her hardest anyway. Even if that meant telling the other angels that she loved the class and that Scholar Yang loved her as a pupil._

_She's trained to fight like a soldier and to live with no emotions. She knew she could handle an annoying scholar. Heeyeon panted heavily, her feet pounding against the stone steps underneath her. She rushed towards the library where Scholar Yang held his lectures. The Crown Prince had to be waiting in there already. Heeyeon knew that Scholar Yang was trying to get the Crown Prince to dislike her as well. Anything to get her to stop taking the class even with how much she fought to get taught. The angel opened the slide door with her foot, walking in calmly to see Namjoon seated at the table. He was already writing as Scholar Yang turned to face her with a scowl._

_"Late again, Heeyeon?" He crossed his arms._

_"I got the scrolls you wanted me to get last minute." Heeyeon had trouble holding in her bitter tone. She tried to smile so it wouldn't look so bad. "If you could tell me earlier when you need certain material, I would appreciate that. I could arrive to your lectures in time."_

_"Are you telling me how to do my job?" Scholar Yang glared at her._

_"I would just prefer you not to start without me. These lessons are important to learn." Heeyeon stood her ground. He's a well educated scholar but still ignorant in so many ways._

_"You were taking too long and the Crown Prince has a schedule to follow. Are you really going to make him wait by fighting with me on this?" Scholar Yang tilted his head at her._

_Heeyeon pursed her lips as she glanced over at the Crown Prince. Namjoon set down his brush with a sigh, not saying anything as usual. Heeyeon decided to just swallow her pride for the day. It's not like this scholar will ever learn to change. She took her seat next to Namjoon as Scholar Yang began the lesson. She hurried to set down the scrolls to get her supplies out. Somehow even preparing for the lesson was annoying the scholar. He was acting as if pulling out a brush and paper was the loudest noise in the world. Heeyeon dipped her brush in the black ink, quickly writing down notes that Scholar Yang left on a scroll posted against the wall. Everything was okay until he purposely walked in front of it to block her view of it._

_The angel had to remind herself to stay calm. She had to choose her battles and she knew it wouldn't end well for her if she started a fight with this scholar. He knew her father just like everyone else in the palace. Though Heeyeon's father would side with her, he would also ask her to push through which she's already been doing. At some point she was going to reach the end of her rope and it truly felt like she was nearing it. Heeyeon tightly held her brush in her hand, clenching her jaw as Scholar Yang refused to move from his spot. She just knew that if she asked him to move that he would make a fit. Sometimes men could be so frustrating to deal with._

_"Scholar Yang, move. I can't see the scroll." Namjoon sighed heavily. The scholar stiffened as Heeyeon stopped clenching her jaw. She looked over at Namjoon in surprise, not expecting this out of the Crown Prince. He was eighteen years old while Heeyeon was twenty. She's had her chance of watching Namjoon grow up yet she didn't expect this. Was he doing this for her? Heeyeon didn't quite buy that with how annoyed he looked. He always seemed to be in a bad mood for some reason._

_"I thought you wrote the notes down already." Scholar Yang chuckled._

_"I said_ move. _" Namjoon narrowed his eyes on the old man. The scholar cleared his throat, moving to side instantly. Heeyeon let a giggle slip as she hurried to copy the scroll. Scholar Yang instantly looked at her until he noticed the way the Crown Prince was looking at him. "Do your job, Scholar Yang. You're wasting my time."_

_"Oh! I apologize, Crown Prince." He bowed desperately. He spouted all kinds of things for forgiveness before he actually began teaching again. The sight was pathetic to Heeyeon. Though for the first time ever, she genuinely enjoyed the lesson today. She was able to take the class without Scholar Yang giving her such a hard time. Anytime he did, he would eventually deal with Namjoon. It was slowly becoming clear to Heeyeon that the Crown Prince was actually helping her. It was quite touching to the angel. All of it was masked with his stoic visage that occasionally expressed annoyance. Heeyeon knew he was on her side when it came to the discussion portion of the lesson. As always, she wanted to talk while Namjoon preferred to keep to himself. Scholar Yang was left with a gritted smile as he stared intensely at Namjoon. "Crown Prince, do you have anything you want to say—"_

_"No." Namjoon shook his head._

_"I do! I want to talk about—" Heeyeon raised her hand._

_"Who gave you permission to talk?" Scholar Yang snapped. Heeyeon flinched at his raised voice, shocked that he was finally being aggressive about this. It took her by surprise that she couldn't think of anything to say. Was he really doing this in front of the Crown Prince? Heeyeon lowered her hand, holding a stoic expression that she's been trained to keep. The last thing she wanted to do was show any signs of weakness towards him. "This is class is only offered to the Crown Prince and you force your way into it. What kind of woman needs to know this? You should be learning how to wield a sword and even then the tradition of guardian angels is barbaric."_

_"Barbaric?" Namjoon tilted his head. Scholar Yang stopped gritting his teeth to look over at the Crown Prince. That man practically switched masks right in front of his two students. He was sweating, still trying to charm Namjoon._

_"Ah, you have to agree to some degree. It is not lady like—" Scholar Yang was ready to go on a tangent the Crown Prince didn't have time for. The young male sighed as Heeyeon kept her temper under control. She only gave the scholar a cold stare. Namjoon abruptly stood up from his seat, packing all his supplies. "—wait! Crown Prince, where are you going? The lesson isn't over yet!"_

_"You're supposed to be a teacher," Namjoon spoke bitterly, "But how can you be a teacher when you're so unwilling to help those who want to learn?"_

_Scholar Yang was left speechless in the small room. Namjoon put his supplies under his arm as he walked out. Heeyeon watched him leave before packing all her own things. Scholar Yang wasn't going to teach her without the Crown Prince in the room. Besides, he looked too busy focusing on himself and his hurt pride. She couldn't care less about him in this moment. What captured her interest was the way the Crown Prince behaved. She's seen him irritated a number of times, but never like this. Stepping out of the building, she looked around to see the Crown Prince crossing the courtyard. Immediately, Heeyeon began chasing after him. It didn't take her long to reach him and Namjoon could hear her running towards him. A sigh left him as he came to stop, his shoulders lowering._

_"Crown Prince!" Heeyeon slowed down, panting lightly. The male slowly turned around to look at her with not even the slightest bit of joy. "I wanted to thank you...for what you said to Scholar Yang."_

_"There is no point in thanking me." Namjoon shook his head. "I did it for myself. It was hard to go through a single lesson without him getting distracted by you."_

_"I see..." Heeyeon chuckled to Namjoon's surprise. The male's brows jumped as he finally looked her in the eyes. He displayed hesitant curiosity instead of frustration for once. "I've seen you grow, Crown Prince. I find it hard to believe that is your only reason...but if that is what you want me to believe then I will."_

_"B-Believe?" Namjoon scoffed, his ears turning red. He was lucky they were hidden behind his long hair. "No, it is the truth."_

_"Of course, Crown Prince." Heeyeon bowed before giving him a wink._

_"Angel Heeyeon, I mean it." Namjoon frowned._

_"Right." Heeyeon bowed, giving him another wink right after. The Crown Prince let out a sigh, officially giving up._

*~*

It was soon the morning and Hwayoung was waking everyone up with the help of Solji. The two were shouting and clapping their hands loudly. The noise instantly woke up the light sleepers of the group. Namjoon opened a window, poking his head out tiredly. You faced the King's carriage, smiling the moment you laid eyes on him. His eyes were still squinted tightly with his hand covering the sun from his eyes. He was tired and out of it which made your heart warm for some reason. Looking away from him, you reminded yourself to work with the schedule. You fixed up your hair as quick as you could before rolling up the bamboo mat. Hyelin and Hyojin were rubbing their backs, grunting as they walked over to their horses. They ended up rolling off their mats onto the dirt ground. Neither were comfy, but one was definitely worse than the other.

Hyojin was especially bothered by the fact that her hair got dirty. She can pick up all the bugs in the world to bother the maknae, but in the end Hyojin could still be very feminine. Hyelin didn't care as much. She just carried the same hope as all the other angels. Hopefully all of you come across a waterfall soon so the ability to take a bath is possible. It's been over a week and it was getting to you. Namjoon didn't seem to care but it made you a bit self-conscious despite knowing it's been past a week for him as well. You just know that once you guys get near the mountain that there at least has to be some type of spring or even small village that will have a place for all of you to wash up.

"Angel Heeyeon, may I speak with you?" Namjoon scratched his cheek. You smiled as you walked over to Happy. He's talking to them all on his own without any assistance from you. Happy and you were rooting for him on the sidelines!

"Yes, my King! I am here!" Heeyeon ran over, almost tripping. Hyelin laughed on top of her horse while Heeyeon only snorted. She quickly cleared her throat to give Namjoon a stoic face.

"How long do you think it will take until we reach the mountains?" Namjoon asked. Heeyeon hummed to herself for a few seconds as she thought about it.

"A week and a half at most. We're nearing the half way point of the month long journey so it won't be long until then." Heeyeon nodded. "As long as we follow the map and go through the quick route, we'll be there before we know it."

"That sounds good. Thank you." Namjoon smiled.

"Excited to meet Lady Eunchae?" Jeonghwa teased with a giggle. Heeyeon soon moved her brows at the King who immediately turned pink.

"Ah, say no more. We understand, your Majesty." Heeyeon laughed as she began to walk back to her horse. Namjoon shook his head, putting his gat on his head by the time Solji announced everyone to start moving forward.

The rest of the angels were chuckling along with the girls. Even Hyojin and Solji who eventually told them to knock it off. It felt strange. You were the only one who wasn't laughing. Instead a forced smile sat on your face. A very weak one at that. Something about Namjoon being embarrassed and excited to meet Lady Eunchae made your chest feel a little heavy. What was wrong with you? A strange feeling loomed over you that was too cryptic to decipher. It was completely unfamiliar to you that it was overwhelming. It could have swallowed you up whole and it was terrifying you. All the other angels sat calmly on their horses and Namjoon sat with his eyes closed inside the carriage. Then there was you.

You were excited to meet Lady Eunchae and for Namjoon to meet her.

Suddenly those words didn't seem to ring as true. You really were thrilled for Namjoon to marry Lady Eunchae and yet it was making you feel a certain way at the same time. Maybe you were just afraid that things would change. That's only if Lady Eunchae doesn't befriend you and the rest of the angels. You're certain she'll grow to like all the angels. Still, the feeling took you by surprise. It was so sudden and you didn't like it one bit. It made you feel guilty that you knew right away you had to forget these types of thoughts. You're the King's shadow and all of you are on a mission to bring him safely to Lady Eunchae as planned. Then you're also helping him befriend the other angels. That is all.

You focused on the path in front of you, petting Happy to make yourself feel better. Namjoon opened his eyes after a couple minutes. He didn't expect to get teased by his own angels. It almost felt like betrayal, but he had to admit that it made him want to laugh too. So this is what getting close to them felt like? Heeyeon even joined in with Jeonghwa. That instantly made Namjoon feel more comfortable with the idea of approaching her. She wasn't going to be nearly as intimidating as Hyojin and Solji. Talking in a friendly manner to the older angels could be a little embarrassing to the King, but he was going to try his best.

He stared out the window to see you gazing straight forward without blinking. A smile tugged itself on his lips again. He always found himself smiling whenever he looked at you. Namjoon spent a few seconds looking at you before poking his head further out the window. He wanted to get a view of Heeyeon from his carriage. It was hard to see her with the wagon full of goods in front of Jeonghwa. He could barely see the top of Hyelin's head. Namjoon had spent a lot of time thinking about how he would befriend Heeyeon last night. His only advantage when it came to Heeyeon was knowing her from when they shared classes together years ago.

From that, Namjoon knew how Heeyeon could act. She was strong minded and she was smart. She didn't let her emotions wildly take over. Barely did the slightest bit of emotion slip out of her. She kept herself under control for the most part. She's intelligent but can be quite playful in the right setting. Namjoon figured that he was going to take her to talk and possibly reminisce about the past. He'll make sure to be forward about his intentions to befriend her and hopefully get her to joke around with him by the end of the night. That's the main goal he has and then after Heeyeon came Hyojin. The male swallowed hard, trying not to think too hard about the future right now.

All that was left for him to do was wait for the right moment. That moment came when Heeyeon spotted a deer in the forest. Everyone stopped moving as she silently moved like a mad woman on top of her horse. She waved her hands for everyone to hold still while Solji simply held her hand up. Heeyeon carefully pulled an arrow out from its quiver. She held her bow tightly as she aimed at the animal. Next thing the group knows, everyone is helping in preparing the food. Dinner was coming early today and only because you guys got lucky. While all the angels worked together on making the deer ready to eat, Namjoon tapped Heeyeon's shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, your Majesty!" Heeyeon gasped. She stood up from the ground in a hurry, almost stumbling over her own feet. The rest of you continued to work as Namjoon motioned Heeyeon to follow him. He only wanted to bring her a little further from the group to talk to her privately. Namjoon glanced at you, making eye contact. The both of you smiled and gave each other subtle nods. Soon Namjoon faced Heeyeon again with confidence. "Is there anything I can help you with? There's currently a lot of blood on my hands...but I can clean that!"

"Oh..." Namjoon grimaced. Heeyeon awkwardly lifted up her hands, laughing at the sight of them. Her hands were smeared and stained with red. It wasn't anything Namjoon wasn't used to. He was just never a fan of these sorts of things. Heeyeon noticed his displeasure, immediately rubbing her hands on her clothes.

"There! All gone, my King." Heeyeon nodded to herself. Namjoon took in a breath, remembering Heeyeon's personality. The blood had dried on her hands still, but she gave him a look as if everything was alright. "I will complete whatever you ask of me."

"...yes, I only wanted to talk." Namjoon saw the surprise on her face. "Do you remember Scholar Yang?" He questioned to see her face tighten. He wanted to admit that he was impressed to see her restrain as much as she did. Namjoon half expected her to start cussing the man out and shaking her fist in the air.

"I do," Heeyeon answered. It was short with her expressions kept minimal. It was enough for Namjoon to realize she was acting like a trained angel. Not quite as herself.

"What were your thoughts on him?" Namjoon continued to push. The angel thought to herself for a while on how to phrase this. Heeyeon's job as an angel is tactics which comes in handy due to her background. Namjoon's parents had been close to hers seeing as her father is the military general. He's retired now with her older brother now taking charge of that. She knew full well on how to carry herself in front of royals.

"He was a man who foolishly only learned what he wanted and taught who he wanted. There is not much I can say about him," Heeyeon said. "He was taken away after you left his class abruptly that one day."

"And I haven't heard a 'thank you' from you all these years." Namjoon smirked. It was his turn to finally tease one of his angels. He felt awkward doing it, but he hoped this would go well. He always felt so embarrassed around the older angels.

"What?" Heeyeon's eyes widened. She stared at Namjoon in disbelief, looking him up and down. She pursed her lips before laughing. "I think I understand what's going on here."

"You do?" Namjoon furrowed his brows.

"I do! You've finally grown the courage to admit that you scolded Scholar Yang for me and not for your own education!" Heeyeon cheered. She clasped her hands together, staring at the King like a proud older sister. Namjoon immediately felt his cheeks turn pink. "I knew our King couldn't have been cold. You were so cute when you were a young Crown Prince! It meant a lot that you took care of me during our lessons."

"W-Well...yes." Namjoon crossed his arms, going along with it. Heeyeon continued to smile proudly while Namjoon fidgeted. He didn't know what else to say. She's practically said it all! His eyes wandered before landing on his favorite angel. Namjoon saw you looking over your shoulder, holding a piece of cooked meat in a cloth. That's it! Namjoon ordered Heeyeon to stay still as he ran over to get the meat from you. "Thank you, (F/n)."

"I believe in you." You smiled. Namjoon's hands grabbed the cloth, purposely letting his fingers touch yours. The male felt the electricity while you instantly looked down at your own food with a bit of guilt. Why was your heart pounding again?

Namjoon had to remind himself he was talking to Heeyeon. It was important. You basically gave this to help him get closer with Heeyeon. He couldn't get distracted right now. He wanted to stay with you and pull you away from the other angels instead. That sounded a lot more tempting, but he couldn't leave Heeyeon standing there alone forever. He walked up to her as he held out the cooked meat towards her. Heeyeon's brows rose as she pointed to herself. She couldn't believe the King was giving her such a large piece of the deer.

"Isn't that for you?" Heeyeon asked.

"Why? Are you saying you can't eat it all?" Namjoon frowned. He worried right away as he took the situation seriously. Did he mess up his plan? Despite his genuine concern, Heeyeon misinterpreted it completely. Her own competitive and food loving traits were sparked. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes on the meat like a hungry tiger. In her eyes, the King was challenging her.

"I can eat it!" Heeyeon declared as she took the meat. Namjoon was stunned at how quick she took it from his hands. The woman didn't waste time to start devouring the slice. She bit and teared into the meat like a hungry animal. Namjoon hadn't realized he left his mouth open from shock. Somehow Heeyeon managed to eat the entire piece all by herself. She licked her fingers with a smirk before realizing who was in front of her watching the whole time.

"...water?" Namjoon held up his pouch. Heeyeon coughed, quietly bowing as she took the water in embarrassment.

"Thank you." She did her best to hold her head up in pride.

"Actually...I feel like you could be fun to eat meat and have drinks with." Namjoon chuckled. He didn't want her to feel bad at all. Heeyeon's eyes were large again, staring at the King intensely. "Like friends. It would be nice getting close to you, Angel Heeyeon. Catch up since we were old classmates together."

"Friends?" Heeyeon blinked. Namjoon tried not to gulp in front of her. He did his best to cling onto every ounce of confidence he had. Heeyeon glanced over at the rest of the angels who were eating their own pieces. That's when Hyelin lifted up a large piece of meat in the air.

"My King! Before it gets cold!" Hyelin shouted.

"We left the best piece for you, your Highness! So good!" Jeonghwa giggled, talking with food in her mouth.

"Second best piece. (F/n) gave it to the King already." Hwayoung nudged you.

"The King gave it to Heeyeon all on his own." You shrugged, refusing to be blamed for anything. Heeyeon's mouth was left slightly open. She hadn't realized how close the King was with the other angels. They seemed so cheerful talking to him rather than acting how they were trained to behave around him. The four of you helped a lot more than you all realized. Namjoon chuckled, his dimples appearing as he spoke to the angels.

"I'll be there soon!" Namjoon looked back at Heeyeon, his smile not leaving. Heeyeon slowly let her shoulders relax in front of the King. This felt different but she liked it. She hadn't seen the King smile in a long time. Heeyeon forgot he had dimples in the first place. The last time she saw them, he was a little kid always trailing behind the older angels or playing with the young ones. Heeyeon smiled fondly back at the King, seeing him as a little brother. "So what do you say? After this journey is all over with?"

"I would love to see how well you hold your alcohol!" Heeyeon grinned. Namjoon's smile grew at her new little challenge for him. It was already sounding like so much fun.


	17. Resent

Ch.16

Namjoon's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Somehow I was successful in gaining Heeyeon as a friend. For a second I thought she would refuse and remind me of the old saying. Slowly, I was scratching away at tradition and creating my own relationships with the angels. It was completely different from how my father's angels acted around him. They always stood tall and straight like soldiers. Moving in lines as if they were one without having to speak to each other. Father only had to make a single command and their bodies moved on reflex. They trained hard all their lives. It was drilled into them and the same had occurred with my own except for a few differences. My relationship with my angels has always been more relaxed compared to my father's.

My father passed away when I was twelve. That caused a lot of people to go into a deep depression. Though the nation was doing its best to move forward, it's what happened inside the palace walls that is haunting. Hyojin's mother was my father's shadow. She was born the same year as him so she was connected to him in a spiritual level. Once my father was gone, she felt like she had lost all her meaning. All the angels didn't know what to do with themselves even though they were raising future angels. Hyojin's mother unfortunately took her own life which affected the previous angels even more. At that point, none of them could take it anymore and left. They went their separate ways to live quietly outside of the palace.

They left senior guards in charge of training their daughters. A lot of pressure was also put on the older angels as well. Solji has been given the greatest pressure since she was the oldest. Since the age of seventeen, she's been left in charge of making sure the angels grow into fierce guards. Hyojin was only fifteen at the time but she didn't want Solji to take all the responsibility alone. She worked hard to help her fellow angel despite losing a parent. One of the worst pains that I still struggled coping with. Sickness took my parents away yet her mother chose it on her own. It was hard to tell whatever was going on in Hyojin's head. She lived life with a cold attitude that I never bothered to melt.

Now it looks like it was about time for me to finally get through that barrier. (F/n) promises me that Hyojin isn't as cold as she seems. There have been a few instances on this trip where I've seen examples of that. Sort of. She finds amusement in using Jeonghwa's biggest fear against her. I hardly ever see the woman smile. She always seems frustrated and annoyed by the other angels. Then there is the literal fact that her job is the executioner for me. Hyojin is meant to kill anyone I ask first before the other angels. She's seen more death than the others and is responsible for leading torture at the royal investigation bureau. Swallowing hard, I was doing my best not to have regrets about this.

"You'll be fine, Namjoon..." I told myself. I wasn't very convincing either.

It was actually incredibly frustrating. I have no idea how to approach Hyojin compared to Heeyeon and I have a vague idea on how to talk to Solji. There has never really been a time where Hyojin and I just talked. Alone. Whenever she watched over me when I was young, she was silent and staring like a hawk. Solji would always appear too and she was a lot more nurturing as my physician. Hyojin's patience with me also appeared thin from when we were at the market. I broke the compass and only got on her nerves despite being King. I just know I did! She didn't have to say it, but I could feel it.

"I also used her sword to kill an eunuch out of nowhere...you impulsive b*stard," I swore.

Immediately, I shook my head to get those bad memories out of my head. I hated thinking about that day. Today is meant to befriend Hyojin and not get stuck on the past. Though deep down I wondered if she ever blamed me. She couldn't blame my father for what happened. He passed away first, but what if I was as close as it got for Hyojin? She could resent me secretly for losing her mother. That was a fear of mine yet I couldn't let it take over my mindset. There's no way Hyojin would feel that way. There's no proof towards it. She may seem distant, but only because of everything she's been through. If (F/n) loves her and says she's kind then I'll believe her.

I just need more confirmation.

"Angel (F/n)." I slid the right window open. A smile came on my face immediately to see (F/n) on her horse. She turned at the sound of my voice, staring back at me curiously. For some reason I felt better when I was with her. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't grown attached to her at all during our trip. There was no Seungwon to talk to, so she was my closest friend. At the same time, she was obviously different from Seungwon. Seungwon always disrespected me when we were alone. B*stard. He's lucky I miss him and still think of him fondly.

"Hello, my King. I hope you slept well." She bowed her head at me. Hearing her voice already brightened my morning. It sounded melodic and gentle. I genuinely didn't know what was going on with me. Between us. I was beginning to see (F/n) in a new light and I had a feeling on what it could be, but I wasn't too sure. I was scared if there would be consequences. It's best if I keep my mouth shut and enjoy her presence from afar. She was a beautiful bird that constantly stayed by my side. If I ever cage her though... "My King? Is everything alright?"

"...alright?" I tilted my head as I stared at her. Blinking to myself, I quickly remembered why I had originally opened the window in the first place. My face grew warm from how embarrassing that was. "Y-Yes! I slept well and you?"

"Pleasant as always, your Majesty." (F/n) smiled.

"How pleasant can a bamboo mat be?" I questioned with almost a bitter tone. I still didn't like the fact that she was sleeping outside in the cold. She could be somewhere more comfortable, but no. She wanted to be with all the other angels. It was something that continuously boiled my blood. I didn't want her sleeping on dirt floor like a peasant. I hated seeing her searching for firewood by herself in the dark. I hated the fact that she had to wear heavy armor constantly. It was her job, but still.

"More comfortable than you would think." (F/n) shrugged.

"Then maybe I should try it," I said to see her eyes widen. She was hesitant and that gave me a truthful answer.

If it's not fit for a King then it wasn't comfortable for anybody. (F/n) looked embarrassed as I kept a hard stare on her. Eventually I sighed to myself, reaching for the water pouch inside the carriage. As I lifted it up by its strap, I noticed how light it felt. I shook is suspiciously to confirm what I was thinking. It's empty. Another heavy sigh left me at how frustrated I currently felt. Poking my head out the window, I lifted my pouch up in the air. (F/n) furrowed her brows at me while I tried to catch the attention of Solji. Just any of the angels up front so that we could stop moving.

"I need water!" I shouted. Jeonghwa looked over her shoulder to stare at me. Soon the other angels were hearing me. In the middle of my shouts, (F/n) held out her water pouch towards me.

"My King, please drink from my pouch." She waited for me to take it. Instead I shook my head and continued calling for the horses to stop.

"I want water!" I huffed as we finally stopped moving. (F/n) frowned but continued holding her water pouch in my direction. "Put your pouch away, Angel (F/n). I refuse to take your water from you."

"But I'm offering it—"

"No." I barked. (F/n) froze at my tone, slowly bringing it close to her.

I didn't mean to come off as cold, but it slipped. I already hated seeing (F/n) hunt and live like a soldier. The last thing I wanted was for her to give up her own water for me. Whether she was doing it from a generous place or a sense of duty, I didn't want it. I would rather die of thirst than take a basic necessity from her like that. Opening the carriage doors, I stepped out without assistance from Jeonghwa. All the angels were hopping off their horses as I began to walk around the forest on my own. I needed water and some fresh air. Also, an opportunity to talk with Hyojin whenever that would be. Yet my mind kept getting sidetracked and wanting to get time alone with (F/n) instead. Focus, Kim Namjoon.

Solji was the first to approach me and stop me from going further into the forest. They all looked panicked to see me walking off without another word. Only Hyojin and Solji kept stoic expressions compared to the rest that I had befriended. All the younger angels were ready to give up their water for me, but I was remaining stubborn. I want my own water. Solji talked to me, explaining that they might find water later on yet I refused to go back in my carriage. I was being difficult to work with and I couldn't help it. It's so cramped inside the d*mn thing. With spring coming, it was getting hot in there during the day. I just needed a walk to cool down. And some water.

"I'll be right back. I hear water coming from this way." I walked around Solji.

"Your Majesty!" Solji shouted after me. She sighed at my behavior as I kept moving against her wishes. "Please allow me to accompany—"

"(F/n). I would like my shadow to come with me," The corners of my lips twitched. I knew this was poor of me. Another reason for me to leave the carriage out of pure frustration. Solji became quiet as well as the rest of the angels. Only light footsteps could be heard against the earth beneath us. Eventually I turned my head slightly to see (F/n) by my side. As she should be. "Let's go make this quick."

"Yes, my King." She bowed.

The rest of the angels remained where they were. They were all confused and I wouldn't be surprised if they were at all upset with me. I knew today's goal was to talk to Hyojin, but that wasn't exactly happening right now. I forced (F/n) to be with me and I had done that in the past. It was just now that I couldn't even trust me own intentions. In the end, I tend to be an impulsive person when it comes to emotions. It's not like there was ever anyone to stop me. A part of me wished I could have Seungwon to talk to and figure my thoughts out. He wasn't hear though so I might as well try to restrain myself from doing something foolish. More foolish than what I am currently doing.

"Where did you hear the water, my King?" (F/n) stayed close to me. She carefully walked down a steep area with me as I tried to listen to the sounds around me. There was silence for a few seconds when I heard the sound again.

"This way." I jump down, worrying (F/n) as I hurried on my own. She kept telling me there was rocks, that the ground was uneven, and that there might be dangerous wild animals. I appreciated the concern but as long as I had a guardian angel with me then there was nothing to worry about. Soon I found the water, quickly becoming disappointed at the sight of a shallow creek. "Oh...the water is no good. I would get more rocks and mud in my pouch than actual water."

"Maybe there is a deeper side." (F/n) began to walk along the creek. It seemed to stay relatively at the same level. My throat felt dry to my annoyance. Following (F/n), my eyes eventually left the water to stare at her. Suddenly my original intentions for being here started to change.

No one else was around.

"My Angel, come here..." I reached my hand out. She turned around with her brows slightly raised. It was obvious through her actions that she was hesitant but followed orders anyway. She walked over to me and stared at my hand curiously. A small gasp left her lips as I grabbed her hand tightly, refusing to let it go.

"Namjoon, what are you doing?" She blinked repeatedly.

"It's been some time since I've heard you address me by my name. I missed that," I said in a low voice. "Is it so wrong to be alone with you, (F/n)? We have no chamber to hide in like back in the palace."

"That's true." She smiled softly. "I'm sure we'll get more moments soon." She nodded as if it were a promise. How could she be so sure? It was starting to worry me that my marriage would ruin everything. I wanted to be able to have (F/n) by my side, but it felt wrong if Lady Eunchae entered the picture. (F/n) took a step back, attempting to remove her hand from my hold.

"Are you sure?" My grip tightened around her wrist. The girl froze as I pulled her closer to me. She stared up at me with the biggest eyes as I examined her face. My heart was beginning to pound the longer I stared into her eyes.

What did Seungwon say about how he felt about Hwayoung again?

"Your Highness!" A voice brought me back into reality. Stepping away from (F/n), I immediately stopped holding her hand. The two of us were flushed as we saw who interrupted us. It was upsetting yet this was the person who I was actually meant to speak with today. Hyojin walked over to the two of us with power in each of her steps as always.

*~*

_Hyojin was watching me from the top of the stairs. Her eyes were narrowed, constantly following me with every move I made. She was worse than an eunuch or palace woman. It felt like I could barely breathe around her. A fourteen year old is meant to have freedom! Most of my movements were tense with how intimidating her gaze was. It always felt like the rest of the angels were happy to be around her, but Hyojin always scared me. It was impossible to do anything in front of her without getting scolded. It was one thing to hear an eunuch scold me and another to hear Hyojin do it. She spoke honestly unlike the rest of the palace staff here. It's pretty easy to get what I want around them anyway. The older angels were a bit different._

_She was seventeen at this time. Only two years had passed since one of our parents had died. That was another reason it felt so wrong for me to be watched by Hyojin. I couldn't help but feel guilty. Seeing her face only reminded me of when my father's angels barged into my mother's chamber to alert her of the news. I was with her, drinking tea and playing a game. It is still a memory that bothers me to this day. Kicking a pebble in front of me, I let out a heavy sigh. I wish I didn't have to have angels around me. I hated the fact that I always had eyes on me. I kicked the pebble again only for it to land in a small pound area. Walking over to it, I looked into the pound, but the pebble was long gone._

_"Be careful near the pound, Crown Prince!" Hyojin shouted from her spot. A huff left me as I turned to face her._

_"I am being careful," I muttered. All I did was stand near it and suddenly I'm in danger in her eyes. Having people guard me like this felt so suffocating. Was this something they could consider truly living to these people? If they only knew what I had to put up with daily. This wasn't even what I wanted._

_Hyojin's stare only grew more intense. Having her watch me like this was getting under my skin. At least when Solji watched me, she was right by my side and spoke to me. She was warmer like an older sister despite us not being related. I didn't care for the other angels as much. I used to play with Hwayoung and (F/n), but things have changed. They would rather succumb to this lie called Fate. Hwayoung is cold and only shows interest in Seungwon. Then (F/n)...she can still be sweet, but I didn't want to bother wasting my time. None of them truly cared about me. The only reason they spend time with me is because Fate says so. If strings of fate weren't holding all the angels together would they still want to stay?_

_I highly doubt it._

_A mischievous smirk found itself on my visage. It wouldn't hurt to play with Hyojin from a distance. That's how she seems to like it anyway. Taking a step near the pound, I put my put my foot on a rock that was barely above the water. I could already hear the sound of Hyojin's uniform moving. Chuckling, I jumped onto another rock further into the pond. I was somehow keeping my balance with water surrounding me. Fishes were swimming calmly below me while Hyojin charged in my direction. Her eyes were wide as I hopped onto another rock. This rock wasn't as stable as the last few. It moved lightly against my wishes. Moving my arms wildly in the air, I held my breath until I regained my balance on the shaky rock._

_"That was a close one..." I sighed. I wasn't exactly known for my grace and balance._

_"Crown Prince! Please come back to solid ground!" Hyojin shouted. She was beginning to remove the sword from her belt. Was she going to come after me? "You could fall in!"_

_"I'm fine! See?" I lifted my arms, feeling the rock almost shift underneath me. I was extremely stiff as I smiled to her. I was tired of constantly being watched yet what was I achieving with this?_

_"I told you not to go near the pound, Crown Prince!" Hyojin stepped onto a rock. I put my foot on another, attempting to get away from her. My footing wasn't great as I almost let out a shriek. I'm still standing and dry though. The other side wasn't too far from me. Maybe I can make it? "Crown Prince, please stop moving! Let me take you back safely!"_

_"Leave me alone!" I shouted back._

_"You're being ridiculous, Crown Prince!" Hyojin hopped forward. She was quick, her agility clearly better than mine. I went on another rock, but she easily caught up to me to my dismay. "Come with me."_

_"No!" I tried pushing her away. Hyojin roughly grabbed onto my wrist, picking me up and putting me over her back. What is she doing!? I breathed rapidly as she carefully made her way back onto land. "Let me go! What is wrong with you!? I didn't want you to grab me like that! Who gave you permission!?"_

_"It's my duty to protect you." Hyojin set me down. Her stare was so sharp that it could have been mistaken for a glare. "What you did was plain poor thinking. I told you to stay away for your safety in the first place and you didn't listen to me. It should have been expected that I would come get you."_

_"I don't have to listen to you in the slightest!" I scoffed. "Bold of you, an angel, to tell me such things."_

_"It is for your safety, Crown Prince. That itself should be enough to prevent you from acting like a fool again!" Hyojin raised her voice. I took a step back, almost shrinking in front of the taller woman. I was left in a state of shock that I couldn't say anything to her. Acting like a fool? We were too busy fighting with one another that we hadn't noticed others witnessing the commotion. My hands balled themselves up into fists from being unable to voice out my emotions. It was hard to even describe what I was feeling as I stared down at the ground. I couldn't even properly clear my head when I heard shouting. Furrowing my brows, I looked up to see mother storming over with her royal court. She looked furious...my eyes glanced back to Hyojin who lowered her shoulders and bowed. Her face remained stoic without flinching._

_"Calling the Crown Prince foolish!? Who do you think you are!?" Mother growled. Veins were evident on her forehead with her own face turning red as well. The rest of her court was giving Angel Hyojin dirty looks. Even that eunuch I hated so much. "You have no excuses for the way you just treated my son!"_

_"I apologize—" Hyojin began only to get cut off._

_"No! I won't accept your apology." Mother shook her head, her teeth gritted tightly together. She eventually let out a scoff the longer she eyed Hyojin. The girl kept her head down in a bow, amusing my mother somehow. "Were you trying to take out your anger on my son for what your Eomeoni did? Well, the Crown Prince had nothing to do with it. It was all your Eomeoni's choice and there was nothing we could do about it. I am sorry, but there are no excuses."_

_"Your Majesty," I said in disbelief. Hyojin now had her hands in fists, her knuckles white and shaking. Mother finally looked at me with a gentle smile._

_"Don't take her words to heart, my sweet child. Run along now. I will deal with your Angel." Mother's smile didn't feel sincere. There was something about it that made my stomach twist. Hyojin didn't move as I looked back at her. Silence filled the air until mother snapped her fingers. Two eunuch's rushed to grab Hyojin by her arms. Was that truly necessary?_

_A lady of the court walked up to me, blocking my view as they took my angel away from me. What are they going to do to her? My brows knitted together in worry with the vague idea of what they could do. Now I was feeling guilt build up inside my chest. Hyojin is one of my angels. She's meant to protect me and I felt obligated to return the favor whenever I could. What could I do though? Anytime I tried to go after them, the palace woman stopped me. She insisted I go to the library or return to my chamber. Anything to distract me from what was going to happen to Hyojin. It was frustrating to have someone new tailing me, but I was able to lose her. She couldn't really run too much with that dress she was wearing. I jumped and ran until I was far from her, making my way towards the royal investigation bureau. That's where it looked like they were going._

_Taking a step towards the large doors, I froze to hear a loud crack. I didn't take a single breath. There was no noise as I stepped closer. Peeking through the gates, I tried to see what was going on inside. My heart was pounding in my chest. Mother was sitting in a chair, watching as a guard stood with a whip in his hand. Down on the ground was Hyojin on her knees. She was trembling and breathing heavily with her bare back revealed. The guard raised his hand to strike Hyojin with the whip again, adding another long red scar to her pale back. She grunted but remained silent for the most part. I felt sick immediately from the sight. Taking a step back, I shook my head and ran away covering my ears. I didn't want to hear the sound of the whip._

_I ran like a coward as she took her punishment._

*~*

"Unnie! What brings you here?" (F/n) ran over to the angel in excitement. A part of me almost felt disappointed that she never looked that happy to see me. Crossing my arms, I watched the two talk with each other. Hyojin came closer to the two of us with a stoic expression.

"The both of you are looking at the wrong area. If you follow me, I can lead you to deeper water." Hyojin held up her pouch, shaking it lightly. You could hear how full it was by the smallest movement. The leather was also a bit stretched out.

"Thank you. Please lead us." I nodded. Hyojin bowed before turning around to take us.

With a crooked smile, I looked back at (F/n). She seemed a lot happier than me to see Hyojin around. She waved me over, silently telling me to follow the elder angel already. My feet moved forward without much thought. Hyojin didn't bother speaking to us as she walked along the creek. (F/n) did most of the speaking and occasionally whispered to me. Mainly giving me advice on how to befriend the distant angel. Hyojin felt tough to befriend with how closed off she was. She didn't bother to start any conversations that were pointless. She only spoke what was necessary which was what I needed at first. Now that I'm working on making friends, I need a little more than that. How am I supposed to break years of training with her?

Befriending Hyojin felt like a lost cause. It was practically hopeless, but (F/n) kept telling me it was possible. She whispered things hurriedly to me about her unnie. Hyojin was a lot more feminine than she looked. Though she appeared tough and scary, there was softer layer to her. In the end (F/n) told me to treat her kindly and like a person. Lose the formalities and speak to her as person to person rather than King to guard. Hopefully, it would be easy. I had a strong feeling she would scold me for treating her casually though.

"Here it is." Hyojin gestured to the large body of water.

"Thank you, Unnie!" (F/n) bowed her head lightly before facing me. "Shall I refill it for you, my King?" I grabbed my pouch slowly as I noticed her eyes repeatedly shifting to Hyojin. She was clearly telling me to order Hyojin to do it. Sighing to myself, I held out the pouch in Hyojin's direction.

"Actually, I want Hyojin to refill it," I said, watching Hyojin's reaction. Not even a flinch from hearing the command. She turned to face me with serious eyes as she reached for the pouch. She followed my order without saying anything. While (F/n) smiled softly, I was practically shouting inside my head. What am I supposed to do? This is impossible!

"Your water, your Highness." Hyojin bowed as she handed it to me.

"Thank you, Angel Hyojin." I took it without much enthusiasm. Maybe she genuinely didn't like me. At that point there was no reason to force her to be my friend. Then again, if I shared these thoughts with (F/n) she would probably call me a coward. Well, no. She's almost too painfully kind towards me. The most she would do is give me a pout and do what she considered a 'glare'. Just imagining that face put a smile on my own. How adorable is she?

"Sh*t!" I gasped, stumbling over my own feet. I wasn't paying attention on where I was walking. The pouch flew in the air but was caught by (F/n). Scrunching my face, I prepared myself for the impact that never occurred. Rather than getting a mouth full of dirt, the back of my belt and arm were pulled back. I ended up stable on my two feet to see Hyojin slowly releasing me with the slightest smirk on her face.

"This clumsiness, my King, has seem to have stuck with you for years." Hyojin's tone sounded like she was teasing me. Heat crawled up the back of my neck immediately. One of the main reasons befriending the older angels would be harder was for this reason. They basically bathed me when I was a child!

"I-I am not clumsy!" I shook my head, grabbing my water pouch away from (F/n).

"Well—" (F/n) started.

"No." I narrowed my eyes on her. (F/n) shrugged, keeping her lips shut. She wasn't afraid of me anymore which was a nice change. That didn't mean I appreciated her pushing buttons like this. Hyojin's little smirk was gone by the time I looked back her. She returned to a stoic expression as we neared the rest of our group. Time with Hyojin was running out. There wouldn't be another chance to get her alone today. I had a feeling stopping her from hunting later wouldn't be a good idea. It was best to take advantage of the current situation. Taking in a deep breath, I paused in my spot and waited for the girls to notice. They turned to face me quietly as I let out the breath I was holding in. "(F/n), you may return with the others. I want a moment to speak with Angel Hyojin in private."

"Oh, yes! I will leave the two of you to talk, my King." (F/n) bowed with too much joy. I wished that didn't look suspicious in Hyojin's eyes. I watched her leave, wanting her to stay but no. I needed to focus on the task at hand. I already acted stupid earlier when Hyojin almost caught us. Ignoring the feelings in my chest, I looked at Hyojin with a friendly smile. She stared at me curiously and I couldn't tell if she didn't trust me at all. We haven't been alone in years.

"What is it that you wanted to discuss, your Majesty?" Hyojin asked. My lips thinned as I realized that I had nothing to say. Nothing that would justify requesting privacy with her. I did this with no plan and once again, I was acting like an idiot. Shifting uncomfortably in front of the woman, I did my best to think of something.

"The w-weather! You don't...suppose it will rain, do you?" I coughed. I wanted to hit myself with a stick.

"Not in the spring, my King. Is that something that worries you?" Hyojin questioned. "We will continue to travel no matter the weather. Besides, you are kept safe from the harsh environment inside your carriage."

"Right, the carriage..." I pursed my lips. My mind had gone completely blank as I stared at Hyojin. How could someone feel so unapproachable? She rested her hand on her belt, clearly waiting for me to either say something else or continue returning to the rest. That last option was certainly not going to happen. I had to do something though. There was no way I could keep her here forever while I thought about something to talk about. The sun wasn't getting any higher. Sighing to myself, I thought back to what (F/n) told me. Talk to her as person to person rather than by our status. I had to be straight forward just like I did with the other girls. Except I was struggling with that part. A part of me was convinced that if I told her my true intentions, she would tell me friendship was not an option for the two of us. D*mn. Here goes nothing. "I'm sorry, the weather is not the real reason I asked to speak with you in private."

"Oh."

"I'm also sorry for the trouble I caused you when I was younger. Everything between us feels so unstable..." I admitted. Hyojin's stoic expression was beginning to drop as she stared at me. Slowly a frown formed on her lips, honest emotion coming from her. "We lost someone really important to us at a young age. It's never easy to lose a parent and I always feared that you hated me in some way. Even today...I hope you don't feel trapped by your Fate in being my angel."

"My King, I am not trapped one bit." Hyojin shook her head, her eyes staring at the ground. "There is no reversing what happened. The pain we both felt occurred and is still true to this day. Though I never once resented you or rejected my fate. Hearing your apology...it wasn't needed, but it is greatly appreciated." Hyojin began to blink her eyes rapidly. Tilting my head, I took a small step towards her to see tears were welling up in her eyes. "You are growing up to be such a kind and caring King. You are going to lead our nation well."

"Thank you." I smiled faintly. She was trying so hard to keep a strong front towards me. It made me realize how harsh the training must have been that they went through. In the end, my angels were human. "And you may cry if you want to...you're allowed this human right."

"There is no point in wasting tears on the past." Hyojin stayed stubborn. A soft ache occurred in my heart for her. I never even got to see her cry for her mother.

"...do you have scars?" I frowned. Hyojin looked up at me, her brows furrowing together. "On your back...you were whipped because of my childish behavior. I'm sorry—"

"Your Majesty..." Hyojin was stunned. She self consciously wrapped her arm around her waist, her handing touching her back. She pursed her lips before speaking again, "I didn't know you were aware I ever received such a punishment."

"You didn't deserve that." I bowed my head down. The angel immediately grew startled, rushing to lift my upper body. She looked panicked without anything restraining her emotions. "Those scars never heal...let me bow."

"But King..." Hyojin was at a loss for words. She shook her head, not wanting me to bow to her. I knew she didn't want that only because I was King and her just a guard. "Please raise your head."

"On one condition." I smirked as she listened closely. The complete truth might be brushed off by her, but this was one way of getting what I wanted. "Treat me in a friendly manner. I'm close with the other angels as well and I wish to be the same with you. There is no reason for us to have a divide, correct? You don't hate me so I wish to be considered a close friend to you."

"Friend?" Hyojin almost coughed. She was in disbelief, ready to deny my attempt. It was obvious on her face until I began to lower my upper body. "Wait! Friend? I-I...I believe I can handle that, your Majesty. If that is what you wish."

"I'm glad." I chuckled. "Now lose the formal talk. You may address me as King and such, but there is no reason to speak to me like I'm a higher being."

"What do you mean?" Hyojin remained lost.

"Treat me like a little brother." I shrugged. That was the best comparison I could come up with. After all, the older angels have always felt like sisters to me. I watched Hyojin patiently as she processed my request. She thought about it deeply before giving me a mischievous look. Suddenly, I didn't feel as confident as I thought I would have been. "Angel Hyojin?"

"I will perform my task well, my King!" Hyojin roughly patted me back. I stumbled forward in shock before she began to pinch my cheeks. "Aigoo~!"

"Ah! No, you're acting too comfortable!" I whined.

"As an older sister acts," Hyojin explained. I held in my breath, realizing I did this to myself. Well then. Instantly, I turned to run from her only to have her following closely behind me. "I must stay by your side, King! There could be thieves roaming around!"

"You're scarier than any thief at the moment!" I shouted as she laughed behind me. That means one more angel left to befriend.


	18. Little Brother

Ch.17

You couldn't be more proud of Namjoon. He had five new friends by his side along with you too. He gave you a smile when he finished his private talk with Hyojin. He did look a bit nervous, but happy overall. Hyojin was able to smile a lot more freely compared to the past. There was immense progress from these gained friendships. Deep down you knew it wasn't just helping Namjoon and you, but the other angels as well. Getting closer is going to benefit the King and you know it. Later at night when all of you were finishing up with food and preparing for bed, you were thrilled to see the amount of angels comfortable speaking with the King.

For once the fire wasn't roaring as loud. You could barely hear the crackle as they spoke freely with him. They were making jokes! Jokes! Hwayoung was laughing out loud which immediately brought you so much joy. She was relaxed, all the angels smiling brightly around the fire. Hyojin teased the King a lot, leaving Namjoon pink in the face. Heeyeon would occasionally join in while Hyelin was the source of most jokes. Jeonghwa couldn't stop giggling while you appreciated every single moment. The only one left out of the loop was Solji. She poked at the fire, glancing at the rest of you oddly. She wasn't used to this friendly nature at all. There were moments when the teasing was considered too far and she opened her mouth only to see the Namjoon laugh and jab back at his angels. The banter left her speechless.

She was clueless for now, but it won't be long before she's laughing with the rest of you. The journey to Lady Eunchae will fly by the moment she allows herself to be friends with the King. It couldn't be too hard at this point. Namjoon has gotten over his fear of talking to the older angels. Gaining Heeyeon and Hyojin as friends was a lot easier than he thought. With everyone so close to the King, it'll feel natural for her to begin acting the same way. Leader of the angels or not, you know she has a soft spot for the King. It was different than all specific relationships you guys had with Namjoon. She was the eldest and the only one who got to speak with him somewhat regularly during the years he kept his distance with the rest of the angels.

Namjoon may be all nervous now, but you're certain all they need is a private talk like everyone else. The male currently sat in his carriage with both of his windows open. Now that everyone was practically friends, it was no longer quiet traveling. The rest of the angels listened in with Jeonghwa occasionally adding comments into the conversation. It was mainly Hwayoung and you with the King. Solji wasn't saying anything, but she looked over her shoulders a few times. Were you guys being too loud? It was impossible to control the volume with everyone being so friendly with each other. Namjoon had a huge smile on his face, laughing with his full chest.

"I am telling the truth! It's a fact!" Hwayoung scoffed, but a smile quickly appeared on her face.

"I wouldn't have picked you to be someone so spiritual," Namjoon stated.

"It's because her family emblem is a flower. Unnie believes nature is just as strong as fate," Jeonghwa said.

"And she's not wrong. Nature can be quite cruel and unforgiving." Hyojin sighed from the back of the carriage.

"Hwayoung won't even pick flowers from the ground." You pointed out. Hwayoung's cheeks were turning red at her personal information being divulged. She looked away in embarrassment despite it being something that made you so fond of her.

"Aren't you saying too much, Yeon (F/n)?" Hwayoung practically hissed through her teeth. It was a clear warning for you to stop saying so much. Even with her fellow angels, she was still a private person. You softly pouted as you sat on your horse. It's not like you revealed her relationship with Seungwon. This was a really cute thing about your friend!

"Are you embarrassed, Chang Hwayoung?" Namjoon chuckled. Hwayoung scoffed yet again, but there was no real point in acting like she wasn't. It was obvious with so much attention on her. Her stoic face had turned more into glaring at air while her face was the shade of a rose.

"How about I share some facts about (F/n)?" Hwayoung countered. Namjoon raised a brow curiously as Hyelin cackled.

"She's practically an open book!" Hyelin shrugged. "We know everything about her." The rest of the angels nodded along to her words. Smiling at them, you had to agree. There was nothing you hid from them. Not until recently, you suppose.

"Oh? Did you know (F/n) fought a palace woman when she was thirteen—"

"HWAYOUNG!!" You screamed. That was supposed to be a secret! Everyone's eyes turned huge as they faced you in unison. Solji glanced at you which felt more embarrassing. It caught her attention too? Heeyeon was chuckling with thrill at this information. Why did Hwayoung have to bring that up? Said best friend looked so proud of herself. That girl! You sighed heavily before making eye contact with Namjoon. One of his brows were arched up, amusement clear on his visage.

"When did I miss this?" Namjoon questioned.

"We need to hear the full story!" Heeyeon claimed. "Don't leave a single detail out!"

"Which lady of the court? Lee? Gu?" Jeonghwa pressed.

"They're all a bit annoying." Hyelin shrugged.

"Hyelin!" Hyojin shouted in a scolding tone.

"Was I lying?" Hyelin frowned. She didn't understand why she was getting reprimanded. Shaking your head, you preferred not to get into it. It was dumb to begin with! Well, that's not true. You stand by what you did and she deserved it in the first place. What made her think starting a fight with a trained fighter would end well? Just thinking about how you gave her a nosebleed made you smirk.

"Must have been quite the fight if Unnie looks that proud." Jeonghwa whistled.

"It was barely a fight..." You touched your earlobe, gently trailing your fingers down your neck. That immediately got the angels to holler. Namjoon was staring at you in amazement and disbelief.

"Alright, alright. Enough conversations." Solji raised her voice. "Save that for the night."

A bunch of the angels whined and let out their disappointment. It was all in good fun, but she was right. The seven of you were being too loud in the middle of the forest. Though you doubt there was any human life near you guys at the moment, it was best not to risk it. You weren't too disappointed to have all the chatter come to an end. Of course you were happy everyone was able to interact and it made you feel so warm to see Hwayoung and Namjoon smiling. Those two in particular made you happy with how much they opened up. The progress was beautiful in your opinion. Just knowing they would be smiling with the others around the fire had you thrilled. There was no loss whatsoever.

While it didn't bother you, Namjoon was softly pouting inside his carriage. It wasn't the fact that their conversation was cut short. That irked him in the slightest. What actually made him nervous was that Solji cut their fun on her own. Her discomfort was becoming clear to the male. She wasn't used to how friendly all of them were being. Suddenly they were all talking as if they were going out for drinks. It was a complete change from how Namjoon was acting with everybody last week. He could barely look some angels in the eye and he couldn't stand the idea of speaking to them. All he wanted was to be left alone by them before the trip even started. Now he moved his leg up and down, itching to talk to them again.

"Angel Solji?" Namjoon poked his head out the window. He felt confident in trying to speak to her. With all the angels accepting his friendship, he had no fear.

"Yes, your Majesty?" Solji looked back at the King.

"When do you think we'll be making our next stop?" He asked.

"Preferably not until sundown," Solji said. "It's best if no more conversations take place. I don't want to waste time and put us behind schedule."

"Oh! Yes..." Namjoon's brows jumped. The back of his neck felt hot, creeping over to his ears. He didn't know why he suddenly felt so embarrassed. Solji put her focus back on leading the way as Namjoon sat back in the carriage. He shyly touched his bun, glancing at you. You only gave him a small smile before returning to perform your duties with all your attention. A sigh left Namjoon, the King realizing he won't get to talk to anyone for hours.

The King almost forgot how frustrating it was when he didn't get what he wanted. He was used to things being his way and admitted he took advantage of it. There were only some instances where he had restrictions. He understood that a King couldn't be selfish. His beliefs were meant to be in line with his people and for the people. He wasn't allowed to let his desires take over and lead to corruption. That's why he had a royal court filled with people to assist him. Namjoon understood that part very well. He just really wanted to talk freely with his angels. With you. His attempt with Solji wasn't successful, immediately leaving him quiet.

Namjoon stayed silent for the rest of the day. He kept his windows opened, curiously staring out of them every now and then. When he stared out the right window, you could feel his gaze on you. That or he was staring at the nature that surrounded all of you. It was wrong of you to assume the King had his eyes on you and nothing else. Maybe that's what you wanted. Again, wrong. So wrong. You wanted to hit yourself for having such thoughts. Namjoon is your friend and you should be grateful for that alone. Have you forgotten what this journey is about? You played with Happy's hair, telling yourself to relax and behave as an angel should.

*~*

_Namjoon was only four years old. He's a baby who still struggles to walk on his own feet. It's not that he couldn't. He was just really clumsy and it didn't help that his clothes were too long on his small body. Namjoon cried every time he fell before he eventually got over it. He would fall on the ground and get back up to play. The baby only had two things on his mind. He either wanted to play or eat. There wasn't much going on with him. He barely saw his father who was always busy anyway. Father was hardly ever alone. He always had his royal court with him or his angels. Namjoon didn't quite understand what angels were but his mother explained that he had some too._

_Apparently two of his friends were his angels. (F/n) and Hwayoung were fun to play with. They were his age too, but they were currently with their own families. The two people he mainly saw were Hyojin and Solji. Hyojin was eight while Solji was nine. These two were the ones Namjoon had an easier time remembering as angels. They played with him, but sometimes they left due to 'responsibilities'. What could they possibly be doing? Namjoon once followed them only to get bored. They were being taught how to behave as angels. From the start, their manners were taught before it got into the fighting aspect of the job. They were too young for that so all they learned was how to behave in general and with anyone of high status._

_"Crown Prince, what are you doing here by yourself?" A soft voice woke him up. The young boy stirred, eyes slowly opening up to see the eldest angel smiling at him. Next to him was Hyojin who waved her hand silently._

_"I have to get going but take care of the baby." Hyojin giggled._

_"We have to call him by his title," Solji stated._

_"It feels strange." Hyojin made a face only for her unnie to sigh. "But I'll make an effort."_

_"You better." Solji smiled, turning back to Namjoon. The boy had fallen asleep outside of the classroom the angels were taught in. Somehow he had slipped past palace women and eunuchs completely undetected. While servants were panicking, he was sleepy and looking up at one of his angels. "I have to go to one of my medicine classes that my Abeoji is teaching. Want to come with me?" She stuck her hand out._

_"M-Medi?" Namjoon struggled to say the word. He didn't bother finishing it as he took her hand, already wanting to go with her. His small hand held onto hers tightly as they walked together. Solji stared fondly down at the small child. She was a young kid herself, but she had to grow up faster than most. She got praised more when she repressed her childish wants and needs. Being the first angel born for the new Crown Prince, she was selected to lead them. That's put an invisible weight on her shoulders since birth. Never once did she complain. All she did was smile and embrace it._

_This was how Namjoon's relationship with Solji typically played out when they were younger. She always cared for him in a soft and gentle way. He would sit on her lap, pulling petals off a flower as she sang. He would hold her hand as they walked over bridges or she would carry him as they went down a long flight of stairs. Namjoon would call her his older sister, but she would kindly correct him every time. She told him to call her by her title. She followed the rules strictly even as she cared for the child._

_Things began to change in the palace. After the King's death, Namjoon was left with only one parent. The Queen became busy with responsibilities and the former angels felt haunted at the palace. They left but not before dropping everything into Solji's hands. It was a lot for her to take but she did it all without complaining. How could she make it look so easy? She stayed strong for the rest of the angels who needed it. Hyojin lost her mother permanently while the rest had been abandoned. Some by both parents. Hwayoung, (F/n), Jeonghwa, Hyojin, and Hyelin were left with no parents in the capital at all. Heeyeon still had her father and Solji still had her own. Not everyone was as lucky._

_Solji had to be strong for her fellow angels who were all so young. She also had to be there for the Crown Prince who was silently suffering. He was beginning to distance himself from the angels ever since his father passed. Solji had been given complete responsibility of the angels at age seventeen. Namjoon was only twelve. A baby. She felt bad and her heart ached every time she looked at him. Today she was doing a check up on the boy. The Queen was worrying the boy potentially had the same sickness as his father. Namjoon hadn't been showing any signs but it was better to check than regret later. Solji carried all her supplies in a bag as she made it to the Crown Prince's chamber. The doors opened wide for her, allowing her to enter._

_Namjoon was waiting inside with a deep frown on his face. It looked like it had been etched into his face. He hadn't been caught smiling since he heard about his late father. He was gloomy without end. He refused to have any servant with him inside his space besides Seungwon. Even as Solji entered, Namjoon was quietly playing a game with Seungwon. No one else stood in the room. Solji didn't sigh or start lecturing the Crown Prince. She had no place to do such a thing. All she was instructed to do was act as Namjoon's personal physician and nothing else._

_"I have arrived for your check up, Crown Prince." Solji bowed her head. Namjoon couldn't even spare a glance at her. He only looked at Seungwon with upset eyes. He wanted no one in here besides his only friend._

_"Let's take a break from the game, Crown Prince," Seungwon said against Namjoon's wishes. The male scoffed in frustration right away. He looked over at Solji, watching the angel set up her station._

_"How long will this take?" Namjoon asked._

_"Not long as long you cooperate," Solji stated, rolling up her sleeves._

_"Fine." Namjoon kept things short. He didn't even want to bicker with her. He also couldn't bring himself to say anything else either._

_Deep down inside him, it felt wrong. Though he was of higher status, insulting Solji was wrong. Servants wouldn't bat an eye if he insulted her and that was worse. He couldn't do that to her. Despite wanting to be alone, he let her do her job. He didn't respond to any of her questions though. All of those were answered by Seungwon. The Crown Prince sighed in relief when Solji finally began to pack her things. The check up was done! Now Namjoon waited for her to start walking out of his chamber only to see her staring down at him. Was there something else? He practically scowled at her despite Seungwon mouthing him to stop._

_"My precious Crown Prince, you are in good health." Solji bowed. The boy paused, shocked at how she addressed him. It was different from when staff simply praised him. It sounded...affectionate. "I wish you maintain good health for many years."_

_"Thank you..." Namjoon fidgeted in his seat. He easily became uncomfortable, not knowing what to do anymore. "Is that all?"_

_"That is all, Crown Prince." Solji nodded. She stared at the boy fondly, wanting to remember this moment. Something inside her told her that she wouldn't see him as often as she used to. Their relationship had shifted. There would be no more hand holding or feeding him bread. No helping him off the ground when he fell. He could pick himself up now so she wasn't needed as much. It hurt Solji, but she reminded herself that this was just her life as an angel. "If there is ever anything you need or if something is wrong...please tell me."_

_"I will," Namjoon responded quietly._

_"I count on it." Solji took in a breath. She gave him a small smile before she left. Solji wished she got to hug the little boy before she left, but it was inappropriate. All she wanted was for the baby to stop hurting. Namjoon watched Solji leave, his eyes carefully traveling back to Seungwon who stood near the wall. For some reason there was a heavy feeling in the air. Both of them could sense it, but what was it? What made it different from the usual gloomy atmosphere the palace carried every day?_

_"Well, aren't we going to continue the game?"_

*~*

A spot to stay for the night was finally found. Solji announced it, her horse heading towards the area she deemed suitable. The rest of you slowly entered the area, tying up horses and pulling out certain things for the night. You left Happy to help get firewood for the night. Everyone else followed with their usual tasks while Namjoon stayed with Solji and Jeonghwa. He walked around with his hands behind his back, waiting for the right moment to speak with Solji. That was proving to be harder than necessary. Whenever he tried, she would keep things short. The only one willing to talk to him was Jeonghwa but that's not what he needed right now.

Namjoon sat in frustration as everyone came back. Hwayoung with water, you with wood, and the hunters with meat for the night. Even if he were to get Solji privately, he wasn't sure if he would be successful. Namjoon fidgeted with his food for a bit until you sat next to him. He was able to calm down, eating his food and talking with the other angels casually. You could tell it bothered Solji. The way her smile was stiff and her eyes switching so often from angel to angel. She didn't talk once during the conversation. The only time she bothered was when everyone was done eating. It was the usual prepare for tomorrow talk. You got comfortable on your bamboo mat with the rest of the angels except for Heeyeon who was put on watch duty.

"I want Solji to watch for the first half of the night." Namjoon interjected. None of the other angels blinked an eye at his request. They were laying down, closing their eyes under the night sky. The only one who had a problem with this appeared to be Solji. She stared at Namjoon as she sat next to the fire, her face illuminated dimly.

"Thank you!" Heeyeon rushed to lie down on her mat. She got comfortable too fast for Solji's liking. The elder angel was about to stop her, but Heeyeon was out. How did she fall asleep so fast? Namjoon was stunned too but wasn't one to question it. This is what he needed in the first place.

Solji didn't sigh as the job was now placed on her. Namjoon expected her to make a face or show a little bit of her true emotions. She never did as the angels around them began to fall asleep. She stayed sitting near the fire, alert of her surroundings. Her eyes would routinely look over to Namjoon for his safety. The male was staying up for some reason instead of going back to his carriage to sleep. Namjoon knew she was looking in his direction every couple minutes. He would look at your sleeping form, smiling until he had to pretend he was doing nothing when Solji stared at him. Soon the angel moved closer to the King when all the angels were sleeping on their mats.

"You may go to sleep, my King. I'll stay up to watch the area," Solji said quietly to him. Namjoon only straightened his posture, staying still in his spot.

"I can't sleep." He looked at all the angels one by one. Each of them his new friend except for their leader. Could he gain her friendship? It felt impossible.

"...Is there something you want to ask me, your Majesty?" Solji raised a brow at the King. Namjoon was stiff to hear that from her. He must have made it obvious in her eyes. Solji wouldn't be leader if she wasn't able to spot things like this easily. She knew Namjoon well. Though she has almost lost her touch, she still remembers a lot of his behaviors from when he was a kid. Some he grew out of, some stayed.

"Am I that obvious?" Namjoon joked, chuckling compared to her. Solji continued to stare at him with no change in her expression. He let his laughter die out as he looked at her. "Do you have to be so serious?"

"Angels are trained to behave a certain way, my King. Especially with how to treat and act around the King," Solji stated, motioning her hand towards everyone who slept. "All of them know how to act around you but have seem to forgotten their training entirely. They act as if you're a friend."

"Because I am, Angel Solji. I'm their friend and they're mine," Namjoon said with pure sincerity. He turned his body to face her, wanting to get through to her tonight. He saw the way she looked at him. Her eyes said it all. Though she could act like stone to any enemy, she had a soft side towards Namjoon. She couldn't hide everything from him. "You know better than anyone that I was lonely. I had nothing even with so many servants, expensive clothes, and food always at my table. Those never lasted and now I finally opened myself up to people..."

"I understand—"

"Do you?" Namjoon frowned. "I isolated myself from everyone in the palace. My own angels could barely stand next to me without me losing my temper. I barely let Seungwon in and he couldn't always be there for me...I'm alone with all of you for this long journey. We're all bonded through fate so it makes sense to get along like life long friends. Is that so wrong? Is my happiness a mistake?"

"Your happiness can easily turn into sorrow in seconds," Solji remarked. She didn't want to say it, but it had to be out there. Namjoon was silenced by her words right away. It was the truth that he didn't want to face. He was able to slip past it with the other angels and he was so close. Reality had finally caught him with him, but he didn't want to listen. "The moment others see you showing vulnerability towards any one of us, they find a weakness. We're meant to die for you without you batting an eye."

"How could I not bat an eye!?" Namjoon hissed bitterly. His words were spat harshly, disgusted at the idea of not being affected by someone's death. Solji didn't flinch at his hushed shouts. She only looked back at the rest of the angels who remained fast asleep. "Isn't it natural for me to be close to you as my angels? And even if you weren't my angels, I am not a lifeless being. You seven are still my people. That alone makes you matter to me!"

Only nature's music played in the background. The fire crackled as Solji stared down at her lap. She couldn't bring herself to look up the King in the eye. Crickets were chirping every few seconds as Namjoon's nostrils flared. His gaze stayed locked on Solji with pure frustration. He felt hurt that she would even say such a thing. The angels keep saying they're willing to die for him as if it's nothing. They want him to treat it like nothing. The closer he gets to them, he can't keep pretending it's okay. He wants them as friends and he'll be devastated if anything happens to them. There's no changing that no matter what. Namjoon's gaze began to soften on Solji, sighing to himself.

"It is selfish of me...I can admit that. A King cannot have friends, but I can't help myself. This is something I refuse to believe." Namjoon gave her a weak smile. "I've grown close to each angel. Then there's you...we used to be close. I miss that. Do you ever look back on those days too?"

Solji slowly began to break. A gentle smile tugged on her lips as she looked back at Namjoon. "I do. You were very small and cute then." She giggled quietly, staring at the King fondly. She saw a little boy. One she wished she had hugged and not left alone. But now, he seems to be turning out fine. He wasn't alone anymore. "I feel so proud every time I look at you. You've grown into such great man and even though you haven't been King for long, I know you were born as the Crown Prince for a reason. Fate knows what it's doing."

"Thank you." Namjoon smiled shyly, his dimples appearing on his cheeks. She allowed her walls to lower, knowing this could be dangerous. "Does this mean you will consider being a close friend to me? Not speaking so formally and respecting me as a person, not just because I'm King?"

"...I will, my King. If that is you want." Solji bowed her head. Namjoon's brows jumped, ready to question her actions and correct her only to get his cheek pinched by the woman. She grinned as Namjoon instantly became flustered. Her little brother.


	19. Friends At Last

Ch.18

It was a complete success! You have no idea what Namjoon did, but he gained a new friend overnight. Solji was speaking to Namjoon exactly like she used to. With respect but with hints of fondness and affection. There was finally a playful air between them that matched everyone else's new relationship with the King. You were so happy to see how things had changed when you woke up. Suddenly all the angels were removing layers of behavior training. Their natural selves were getting revealed to the King bit by bit. Namjoon could finally see the sides of the angels that you always witnessed. He understood why you loved them all so much now. It meant a lot that he took the time to get to know them as well and find a place for them in his heart as dangerous as it is.

You hope there is no negative to this. How could there be?

Seeing the King smile already had you feeling butterflies inside of you. They fluttered wildly every time you looked at him. It was almost alarming if you were being honest. One butterfly is pretty. It's delicate and lovely, letting you know that spring has come. A swarm of butterflies is a horrid sight. Watching them rush in panic and alerting others that nature is angry. They know something is wrong first. You didn't know how to take this feeling. There were moments when you enjoyed them and times when you wished they would stop. If you let your mind wander on what it could possibly mean, you became scared. What are you doing?

It was best to focus on Namjoon's accomplishments. He's doing so well for himself. He smiles more now that he has more friends. He doesn't only rely on you anymore, but you can tell he still favors you over most of the angels. Just that thought alone made your heart swell. Stop it. The territory your mind wanted to wander to wasn't safe. As scary as it was, it also infuriated you just a bit. Why can't you perform your job as an angel without this extra nonsense? You were doing your best to stay positive on this trip. For once, you were struggling to look on the bright side. These feelings kept consuming your mind and with Namjoon having all the angels as friends, there was nothing to busy yourself with.

Not to mention, Namjoon didn't really make the situation any better. He would always open the right window first and look out. He'd say he was looking at nature, but you've accidentally made eye contact with him more than once. It was messing you up. Even now, you could feel his gaze on you as you rode Happy. Less than three days until you all reach the mountains then from there you guys will be seeing Lady Eunchae soon. That's what you reminded yourself of constantly. That's what this entire mission was truly about. Lady Eunchae. Namjoon's future Queen. How could a fact torture you so much? You knew this from the beginning yet hearing it now made you lose energy.

Right now your only course of actions towards these surfacing feelings was to ignore them. It's not like you could do anything with them. Hopefully they fade out since they're based on nothing. They're too baffling to figure out. It would be easier if they disappeared completely instead of growing stronger. You were satisfied with that idea. You were willing to settle and forget these random feelings. Then there was Namjoon who sat in his carriage, staring at you not so secretly. He almost wanted you to catch him so he could hear your voice. To see your embarrassed expression to catch him looking at you.

He was suffering from the same confusion. He had grown an appreciation for you that was different from the rest of the angels. Slowly, he was beginning to understand what it all meant. He kept thinking back on all the ways Seungwon spoke about Hwayoung. How the two talked to one another and looked at each other. Namjoon put himself in Seungwon's shoes, imagining you as his lover. At first the thoughts were strange and made him feel odd. Despite that, they didn't feel wrong. Soon these curious images in his head were growing into desperate dreams. He wanted them to come true until he remembered every time he had a duty to perform for his nation.

"Right." Namjoon sighed to himself. He leaned back in his seat, frustrated with his reality. Fate was testing his patience. He wanted to pull you close into his arms to see how it felt. You weren't the only girl near him so why you specifically? "Angel (F/n), you are causing me quite some trouble," The male murmured to himself as he caught himself staring at you again.

The travel was relatively quiet today which was astonishing. All the angels restrained from talking, but the moment Solji gave all of you permission, everyone couldn't stop. Angels were already giggling at nothing and others continuing conversations from yesterday. You were pretending to fight Hwayoung since the two of you finished your task. Water pouches were refilled and Solji was working on getting the fire started. The hunters were still out while Namjoon sat on a bamboo mat, quietly watching everyone around him.

"What are you doing?" Hwayoung scoffed as you tightened your arms around her. It looked more like you were hugging her and occasionally picking her up.

"Wrestling you. What else does it look like?" You grumbled, picking her up again.

"Then do it like you mean it!" Hwayoung began to squirm in your hold.

"I don't feel like it."

"Or because you know that I'll beat you." Hwayoung smirked, knowing she was starting something. It didn't take much for you to start going rougher on her. The two of you began to grapple, putting on a show for the few who were watching. Namjoon was silently rooting for you in amusement compared to Jeonghwa who was cheering for no one in particular. Once Solji got a stable fire lit up, she turned to face you guys with a heavy sigh.

"Yah, stop that. Are the both of you children?" Solji raised a brow at the two of you. Hwayoung and you huffed, separating from each other. You were definitely ready to continue the fight though. You fixed up your hair while Hwayoung grumbled under her breath.

"Yeah! Are the both of you children?" Jeonghwa repeated.

"You have no right to talk." Hwayoung shook her head, narrowing her eyes on the maknae.

"Hwayoung's right and you know it." You put your hands on your hips. Jeonghwa can gasp all she wants, but that changed nothing. Namjoon laughed at the maknae from the faces she was making. That instantly got her to break out into laugher too.

"What's so funny?" Hyelin's voice caught everyone's attention. Heads turned to face the direction of her voice, spotting Heeyeon and Hyojin walking right behind her with their own catches for the night. Dinner looked like it would be filling tonight. Not as much as the time a deer was caught, but still pretty good. Jeonghwa began cheering again as they came over. You wanted to laugh to see her ready with a knife. In all honesty, you were pretty hungry too and helping out would make the process go faster.

You wasted no time in trying to help them with Jeonghwa. The two of you were impatient enough to get scolded by Heeyeon. She shook her head as the both of you laughed. The other angels joined in on helping once the hunters got settled on their spots. Skinning the animals took some time and Solji was already prepping how they would be hung over the water. Hwayoung removed the pot of boiling water, refilling everyone's pouches with clean water. Namjoon only sat back as he watched all his angels work. He didn't think much of it since this was what he was used to. The idea of him offering to help came across as more strange to him.

Besides, he was too busy focusing on you. His eyes stayed stuck on you as he watched you prepare what Hyelin caught. The two of you were working on it together which helped him. Anytime you looked up or he was close to getting caught, he pretended he was looking at the other angels or eyeing the dead animal. The dead animal was less of a pleasant sight though. He's sure it would taste good once cooked. Then as always, he was right. Solji cooked them all over the open fire and now everyone was feasting on the meal.

"Listen, I just think we should hear about this fight between (F/n) and the palace woman." Hyelin grinned.

"I thought we were over that." You groaned.

"No, you didn't want to talk about it," Heeyeon corrected. "The rest of us want to hear more."

"It's really not important. It was over something dumb." You didn't bother to look any of them in the eyes. Nudging your elbow against Hwayoung, this was your subtle way of being upset. She only smiled as she shook her head.

"If his Royal Highness wants to hear about it, will you tell the rest of us?" Jeonghwa raised her brows. She was trying to get it out of you no matter what. The fact that she was using the King left you in shock. The rest of the angels snickered, looking over to Namjoon. The male was quietly eating his food until all the attention went over to him. His cheeks were full with meat and he even had a bit of a mess on the corner of his lips. Everyone else was so focused on the story from your past, but you forgot about it completely. Why is he such a messy eater? A soft chuckle escaped your lips as you thought about how cute he looked. His eyes widened slightly, looking at all the angels in confusion. "Tell (F/n) unnie that you want to hear the story of her little fight with the palace woman."

"Don't demand him." Hyojin sighed heavily as she leaned closer to Jeonghwa. "Request and strongly imply it."

"Persistence is also a good thing," Heeyeon whispered.

"I'm getting impatient!" Hyelin whined.

"All of you are ridiculous." Solji laughed.

"It's quite the story." Hwayoung grinned.

"Haven't you said more than enough?" You huffed, grabbing a bone and putting it into her mouth. Hwayoung furrowed her brows as she spit it out.

Namjoon watched the interaction, his eyes switching between the two of you. That alone helped him come to his own conclusion. "I think I'll let Angel (F/n) keep this story in the past." Even if he felt curious to know. All the angels frowned and whined, knowing they couldn't go against his word. There was no more pushing you for the story.

"I tried." Jeonghwa sighed.

"We'll get it out somehow." Hyelin shrugged.

"Does the King have to tell you twice?" Hyojin flicked Hyelin's forehead. The younger whined in the background as Heeyeon snorted.

"I'll just let my imagination run wild. It's coming up with quite some stories," Heeyeon said.

"Why not ask Hwayoung what happened? She seems to know." Solji suggested. Suddenly, all the angels became quiet as they turned their heads to the girl. Her cheeks became pink, surprised that she was now the focus. Hwayoung was never used to this and preferred to be unseen. You could see how uncomfortable she was right now.

"W-Well...I can't recall anything at the moment," Hwayoung admitted. She was flustered which normally would have made you laugh any other time. You only smiled, rubbing her back as the angels gave another chorus of groans.

"Hwayoung knows better than to tell stories that aren't about her." You smirked. Jeonghwa and Hyelin had their cheeks puffed up with air, their pouts so exaggerated.

"Now, now. All of you should leave (F/n) alone." Namjoon looked at you. Without thinking, you looked over at him immediately. The moment your eyes connected with his, they were locked. It felt like you couldn't breathe for a second as you stared at him. Heat crawled up the back of your neck, hairs standing up as you felt chills. What were you feeling? And did he feel the same?

"Oh? What's with that look?" Hyelin teased. "You're lucky Lady Eunchae isn't with us right now. Anyone could have mistaken that as a look between lovers."

"L-Lovers?" Namjoon blinked, breaking out the trance. He turned to Hyelin with a flushed appearance. You were left the same way, touching your warm face and taking a scoot back from the fire.

"Don't say nonsense." Hyojin scolded the younger, a grumble leaving the girl. Namjoon didn't know what else to say and you were left in the same situation. Were you becoming too obvious? Frowning, you knew you needed to stop this. It wasn't right. Namjoon belongs to Lady Eunchae. Your Fate is to be his angel, his shadow, and nothing more.

*~*

_Nothing infuriated Namjoon more than what his mother ordered. There is a reason he does things his way so there was no need for her to interfere. He was fuming the minute Seungwon announced the order to him. Apparently the palace women were too scared, pushing it onto an eunuch who was just as cowardly. That left Seungwon to do the dirty work. Luckily, Namjoon could tolerate him enough not to take his frustration out on his friend. He certainly wanted to go up to his mother and complain though. He was seriously considering it until Seungwon gave him a long lecture on why he should just do this task for his mother._

_'It's a one time thing! It's easy enough! It should only take an hour at most!' and all kinds of crap left Seungwon's mouth. Namjoon huffed in annoyance, following the male's words anyway. He'd rather listen to Seungwon than his mother at the moment. Basically, Namjoon has been working for years to separate himself from his angels. He keeps them at a distance and refuses to talk to them unless he absolutely has to. It's worked out for him pretty well. It's not like his life is in any danger in the first place. He's completely fine yet his mother seems to think otherwise. She's late to the news though. The separation has been going on for years and just now she hears about it._

_It's not even that big of a deal. Why should it concern her in the first place? It managed to upset her so much that she ordered a mandatory lunch between the angels and the Crown Prince. That meant Namjoon had no way of getting out of this unless he wanted to deal with the consequences. He still cursed inside his head repeatedly. He was the last to arrive to the lunch with his angels. They were all standing in front of their small tables, waiting for his presence. They bowed and welcomed him the minute he stepped in. He didn't like how they moved in unison, practically sharing the same breath. It felt wrong as he walked over to his seat, allowing them to sit on the floor with him._

_He expected them to stay silent and wait for him to speak. He thought they would appear as cold as his father's angels. The male was stunned when he suddenly heard all the girls speaking with excitement. They were all smiling, cheerful and friendly while he watched them. What was this? He furrowed his brows at each of them, remembering all their names yet they felt so foreign on his tongue these days. Solji was the name he was most used to. She chuckled lightly, attempting to calm the girls down. Hyojin was making retorts towards Heeyeon who was groaning at whatever they were talking about. Hyelin was telling a farfetched story that had Jeonghwa on the edge of her seat. Then Hwayoung and (F/n) sat on either side of him. His shadows having the special pleasure of sitting next to the Crown Prince._

_Namjoon didn't think much of his shadows. Hwayoung was Seungwon's lover and that was the main thing he thought about when he looked at her. He supposes that's a reason he could tolerate her. She made his best friend happy. At the same time, she took his friend's attention away from him a lot of the time. It was even a struggle getting it back. More than it needed to be. Then there was you. Sitting next to him, laughing at the rest of the angels. Though you were his shadow, you felt more like rays of sunlight. Namjoon remembered being closer to you than his other shadow, but he reminded himself of the wall he wanted around him._

_"Here is the food!" Multiple servants came into the room with plates in their hands. Hundreds of bowls were placed on the table, leaving the angels overwhelmed. They never got to experience stuff like this and Namjoon barely batted an eye._

_"Thank you for the food," Solji said to a servant._

_"Thank you so much!" All the angels bowed their heads lightly before staring at all the dishes in awe. You were close to drooling if you didn't close your mouth. Is this what eating with the Crown Prince feels like? You glanced at him from the corner of your eye, noting how he wasn't startled in the slightest. This was his normal? It was greedy of you, but you hoped he would invite you all to more lunches like this. You faced the Crown Prince with more confidence, bowing to him._

_"Thank you for inviting us to share a meal with you." You grinned as he scoffed lightly. He looked to the side, sighing to control his temper. Did you say something wrong?_

_"Of course. Let's eat already," Namjoon responded coldly. He didn't think much in the way he spoke to you or to any of the angels. It was how he typically spoke to the rest of the servants. It was something you should have expected from him. That didn't stop it from stinging just a little. What is strange of you? He didn't care for you, but he was your Fate. You genuinely wished him happiness and hoped he stays healthy. Even after he gives you harsh looks and words._

_The Crown Prince in your eyes was growing. He was the same age, but there was clear differences between you. Namjoon never appeared to smile these days. You haven't seen one on him for years to be exact. The male allows negativity to dictate his life whereas you stay positive and always try to find a reason to smile. You were chipper and kind to anyone in need. You cared for his safety while he could barely look at you. He focused on eating, rushing to fill his stomach. The other angels were eating at a calmer paced and glanced at the Crown Prince on the occasion. They didn't want to bother him while you were having different thoughts. For a quick moment, you thought the Crown Prince was attractive. It wasn't a thought fueled by anything. A simple thing you noticed about his features. He's handsome._

_"Slow down, Crown Prince." Solji warned._

_"Hwayoung, pour him more water," Hyojin instructed. The shadow nodded before performing the task. You ate little pieces from your bowl, but barely touched your food otherwise._

_"Is this enough?" Hwayoung asked. She stared at the Crown Prince who gave her a rushed nod. He couldn't care less about the water in his cup. He just wanted to get out of here and tell his mother that he did what she wanted._

_"We don't want you choking," Heeyeon said, chuckling awkwardly._

_"Are you even breathing?" Hyelin cocked a brow up._

_"Unnie! What are you saying?" Jeonghwa hissed, kicking the girl from under the table. Hyelin winced, quickly shutting her lips from saying any more. Her honesty could sometimes slip out without any thoughts. None of you wanted that getting her in trouble._

_"I'm fine. All of you shouldn't be concerned with my eating habits," Namjoon took a moment to speak. He found all of you ridiculous. It wasn't often that he spent time with all of you. Sitting down like this only gave him more reasons to avoid full interactions with his angels. They were all odd in his eyes. He sighed to himself as you stared at him. He could feel your burning gaze, getting frustrated with what you wanted this time. You were so focused on his face that he felt disturbed._

_"Hold still." You crawled out of your spot. Namjoon's eyes widened, shocked as you made your way over to him. He stopped breathing when he saw you lifting up a handkerchief. What's going on? Your face was incredibly close to his, the boy's heart pounding wildly. He couldn't understand what was happening until he felt you wiping his face. His little eating habits were so messy. You had to clean him since he looked so improper. It was something you did without thinking twice. Pulling the handkerchief away from his lips, you eyed him for a while to make sure you got everything. Namjoon felt hot and numb, but eventually regained control over his thoughts. He blinked and look back to the rest of the angels in embarrassment._

_"What are you, (F/n) unnie? His wife?" Jeonghwa snickered._

_"Wife? Oh no!" You shook your head innocently. You even waved your arms to deny her little joke._

_That little joke didn't sit well with the Crown Prince unfortunately. It only caused his blood to boil inside of him. At first he believed you were mocking him, calling him a child who can't clean up after himself. Now he sees that maybe you were having different intentions. His wife? The Crown Prince scoffed, gritting his teeth as he looked at you. All you were to him was his shadow angel and even then he preferred you to be nonexistent around him. The flustered male glared at the maknae who started the joke, the angels becoming quiet around the table._

_"Don't make jokes of poor taste like that." Namjoon growled. Jeonghwa flinched, looking down at her lap in shame. She was scared as she leaned towards Solji, but Namjoon was blind towards it. "She is nothing, but an angel who crossed a line." He looked over at you, seeing your apologetic form crawl back to your original spot._

_"I apologize-"_

_"I don't want to hear it." Namjoon stopped looking at you. "Do none of you take me seriously?"_

_"Crown Prince-" Solji started._

_"I don't understand why her Highness requested this lunch to take place from the start. It was a complete waste of my time! Entirely pointless!" Namjoon stood up, his emotions coming out full force. "Continue eating if you want because I don't plan on making this occur again." He marched out, leaving everyone in the room silent. The angels looked at Solji on what to do next before their eyes soon traveled to your gloomy state._

_"I'm sorry..."_

*~*

The sudden memory hit Namjoon like a horse kicking him in the face. Now he felt more embarrassed than he originally was. His mother had pure intentions yet he was behaving like that? He wanted to groan at his past self for acting like that. What his mother requested of him was essentially what you wanted from him. To befriend all the angels. It only took a couple years for him to finally complete the task. He could eat with the angels and enjoy their presence, all of them comfortable with their King. That's what he wanted. He didn't like them treating him differently because of his title. If only he had known, he would have done this sooner.

A sigh left his lips as his eyes wandered over to you. You were quiet now while the angels were causing a lot of noise. For some reason, you appeared gloomy in his eyes. He was unaware that you were putting your foot down and telling yourself to let this flame go. It will go out as fast as it lit up, you told yourself. Praying that your words would be true. Namjoon had a different perspective as he watched you. Wife? Lovers? From back then to today, the comparison was made. Was that a sign? Namjoon was hesitant on trusting fate. It could all be nothing, but he really hoped it wasn't.


	20. Duty

Ch.19

The journey so far has been quite the delight. It keeps getting better and better in your opinion. It did have its moments where you hated it, but you adored what it did for all your friends. The angels were happier than you had ever seen them. None of them were being restricted to act a certain way. They were more like their true selves. More than you had ever seen in the quarters all of you shared. Then Namjoon was the same way. He was awkward at first but was beginning to break out of his shell. He looked like an intimidating and cruel King...in reality he was anything but.

The King was absolutely adorable in your eyes. It was just little things that he did that made your heart swoon. Sometimes watching him struggle to tie the ribbon on his gat or when he pouted like a child. He so badly wanted to help the angels with something, but none of you wanted to risk him getting hurt. He's best left sitting and waiting for all of you. It made you feel so warm inside to know he cared and wanted to help. He's such a kind King. That was something you had to remind yourself of constantly. His title still exists even if the two of you are outside the palace.

Though your mind would get lost on your feelings, you were quick to bring yourself back into reality. There was no time to have thoughts like that. No matter how badly you wanted to adore him in a different sense. That should be an easy task, right? It's not like you're battling three men at once and yet you were struggling to an unfair degree. It felt as the days passed, your affection towards Namjoon grew. It didn't help that the King would act a certain way towards you that was different compared to the other angels. You didn't know how to perceive it since there was no possible way he could look at you as something more. You're only a mere angel to him. His shadow.

Then your mind would refuse and replay certain moments with him in your head. They were constant, questioning what exactly was going on between the both of you as days passed. Namjoon pulling you aside and almost throwing a fit when you didn't have your hairpin on, Namjoon getting overly worried when you almost burned yourself creating a fire, and Namjoon trying to follow you as you retrieved wood in the forest. You figured these were all friendly gestures. Frankly, calling some of them friendly was a bit reaching but calling it something else made you feel like you were delusional. There is no way Kim Namjoon, King of Goguyreo, could ever possibly feel the same towards you.

You don't even know what your feelings are in the first place. Maybe you're just desperate to have what Hwayoung has with Seungwon. She's going to leave you it seems in the future. That's something you still try not to be bitter on or think about often. Latching onto Namjoon is like replacing her as your best friend and then considering him something more was selfish. Greedy. Against Fate completely. But then the two of you would be alone in the woods and Namjoon would request to hold your hand. He would stay close to you, pretend to protect you and say things like he didn't want you getting hurt even though you were more than willing to get a scratch or two protecting him. Whenever you said that, it only upset him. Shouldn't that be expected from you? You just wanted to forget your feelings and live peacefully, but then he went off saying those things.

The most you could do was shrug and become silent. Namjoon could get really moody when you talked about your duties as an angel for some reason. You could barely talk to him about it which was frustrating. It's literally your entire life. It's the entire reason you were born in the first place and it happens to be a sensitive topic for him. You suppose you just won't mention it around him even though it defines you're very existence. It's fine. Sighing as you rode Happy, you noticed Heeyeon point something out to Solji in excitement. That unnie was close to falling off her horse. What is she doing? The others began to notice until the sound came rushing into your ears.

Water.

"I was right! And you told me to be quiet!" Heeyeon laughed as Solji frowned at her.

"Is that a waterfall?" Hyelin asked, lifting up her head.

"A waterfall? As in, a lot of water? To bathe?" Jeonghwa practically squealed.

"I heard something about bathing!!" Hyojin yelled from the back.

"I haven't bathed in weeks!" Hwayoung huffed.

"None of us have!" You laughed, watching the direction of travel begin to change. All of you were heading towards the waterfall with hopes of getting clean. Maybe taking baths wasn't a huge necessity for most common people, but you were raised with nobles and royalty. Personal hygiene was a must.

"What's going on?" Namjoon opened the right window, noticing how bumpy the path was getting.

"The angels are going to take a quick bath, my King. I hope you don't mind!" You smiled at him, trying to stay focused on where you were leading Happy.

"A bath?" Namjoon blinked before nodding. "Tell me when all of you finish. I am in need of one too."

"Of course, your Majesty." You bowed your head with a large grin on your face. This bath is going to feel amazing!

And you were exactly right! Nothing felt more amazing than when you dipped into the water. It was a bit cold, but you didn't mind too much. Most of the angels were calm getting in compared to Hyelin who pushed Jeonghwa in. Unnie didn't realize how much force she put out and fell in right after. Hyelin's body landing in the water sounded like a loud smack against her skin. It certainly didn't sound pretty, but she did fall from a ledge. The rest of you would rather calmly walk into the water. Once Heeyeon saw them dropping, she got intrigued to copy them. She climbed up the rocks before diving into the water. Solji shook her head at the girls, telling them to clean themselves up and not mess around. Plus all their splashing might land onto your undergarments which were sitting laid out on rocks.

Every angel was nude under the water. It would be faster this way without causing your undergarments to get soaked. The bath should take a few minutes at most. Angels were untying their hair, scrubbing off dirt, and other hygienic tasks. This was supposed to happen at a faster pace. Eventually you forgot just how long all of you had been in the water. All of you were clueless until the sound of a branch breaking caused all of you to become stiff. Staring in the direction of the sound, your eyes widened to see Namjoon walking over to the area oblivious. What is he doing!? The angels began to panic, lowering in the water as Namjoon realized what was going on.

"Oh! I apologize!" Namjoon covered his eyes, turning around. "I-I thought you had all left. I counted the entire time...I-I thought...I'm sorry."

"It is alright, your Majesty. We'll hurry up." Solji smiled awkwardly.

"Out. Out." Hyojin began to push on Jeonghwa's shoulders.

"Get my undergarments first!" Jeonghwa whined.

"I got them!" Hyelin chimed.

"Well, this is embarrassing." Hwayoung laughed.

"You could say that again." You tried not to laugh. The two of you headed towards your undergarments, hurrying to get out of the water for the King. He stood still in the same spot with his back facing you guys. He covered his eyes, sighing heavily and grumbling things to himself. Oh, Namjoon.

*~*

_Where is Hwayoung? You've searching for her all over the palace. It was starting to become ridiculous with how hard it was to find her. She was with you in the morning then disappeared all of a sudden. She left without telling you! There was not a single trace of her to give you a clue on where she could be. The two of you were seventeen at this time. All you wanted was to find your friend. The rest of the angels were busy with their own things. The most you wanted to do was take a stroll and talk. That wasn't so bad, was it? You were getting close to giving up on finding her entirely. It's literally been hours! The sun was higher in the sky and you would rather do something else at this point._

_What could she even being doing that was so important that it caused her to practically disappear? Huffing in annoyance, you were ready to start screaming at nothing. You've essentially wasted all your time looking for her if she's even at the palace to begin with. Stomping your feet as you turned the corner, you felt someone bump into you. They yelped while you only stumbled back. You were quick to regain your balance and see who it was. Immediately, your eyes grew to see it had been exactly who you were looking for! Hwayoung was panting heavily, looking at you nervously. She looked so fidgety for some reason. Parting your lips to ask what happened, you hesitated. There's a nicer way to put it._

_"Everything okay? I've been looking everywhere for you," You stated. Hwayoung could barely hear you with her attention struggling to focus on one thing. Her hair was a bit messy, her forehead damp with sweat, and her lips looking swollen. Did she eat something she was allergic too? Fall into a bush? Hwayoung kept putting her hands around her neck as if she was trying to hide something._

_"Ah, sorry. I-I was busy." She couldn't even look you in the eye. She was acting shy and that was pretty strange to witness. You eyed her up and down again, noting how hastily put on her clothes were. Keeping a stoic face, you tried not to react too much to the fact that her coat was inside out._

_"What were you doing?" You tilted your head. Hwayoung's face was flushed, bright pink as she shook her head at you._

_"I'm really sorry, (F/n), but I can't talk right now. I have to go!" Hwayoung ran past you without another word. Stepping away, you watched her in confusion. What the heck happened to her?_

_*~*_

_Namjoon had been searching for Seungwon. Not all day, but just recently. He was feeling bored being kept up in his chamber with no one to talk to. Not one of the court ladies or eunuchs would do. Talking to his mother didn't sound too great either. Talking to officers and scholars was not even an option. All he wanted was to speak with Seungwon. Someone who he could easily talk to without his title as Crown Prince being a problem. He needed his friend, expecting the male to be easy to find. It's practically his job to be readily available for Namjoon after all yet that was somehow not as true as Namjoon had wished._

_He searched and searched for his friend who was nowhere in sight. Did he even exist at this point? Namjoon was losing his patience with Seungwon. Who does he think he is? Leaving the palace without notifying Namjoon where he was planning to be? The Crown Prince felt like a fool roaming around the palace grounds. He shouldn't be the one going to these lengths for Seungwon. The male cussed under his breath when he finally spotted him. Seungwon was walking slowly, adjusting his clothes which were already a disaster. What happened to him? Everything was crooked, his hair out of place, and his face pink. Namjoon scoffed as he stormed over to grab the male._

_"Yah! Where the hell were you?" Namjoon frowned as Seungwon flinched from the sudden touch. The royal advisor let out a breath when he saw it was only Namjoon._

_"Don't scare me like that," Seungwon pleaded._

_"Oh, don't scare you? You're lucky I still respect you!" Namjoon's nostrils flared. "Now answer my question. Where were you? Why do you look like this? Why—?"_

_"Namjoon! You're asking too many questions!" Seungwon grabbed his shoulders tightly. The Crown Prince was confused at first before narrowing his eyes on the older boy. They were silent, the both of them frustrated. It didn't take long for Namjoon to start whining again._

_"You were with Hwayoung, weren't you?" Namjoon stomped his foot. Seungwon wanted to roll his eyes despite it being the truth. "I bet you were! Every time you're not with me, you're with her! I don't get—"_

_"Namjoon, I care about you so much that I need you to be quiet." Seungwon gripped Namjoon's shoulder tightly. The boy grumbled, listening to what the other had to say. "I'm surprised you haven't started focusing on girls yourself. There's plenty around you! What about the other angels? Hell, one of them is your age too. Hwayoung is mine so hands off, but what I'm saying is still valid."_

_"Girls?" Namjoon raised a brow. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Seungwon wanted him to think about girls? As the Crown Prince who is soon to be King, this is possibly the worst advice Seungwon has ever given to him. "No, Seungwon! I'd rather read than deal with someone in general."_

_"That's your problem!" Seungwon released Namjoon, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You need to loosen up. Look at the girls around you. Find which one you like and explore."_

_"Explore?"_

_"How they smell, how they feel, and...other things." Seungwon winked. Namjoon was suspicious, giving his friend an annoyed look as a front. So much nonsense was leaving Seungwon that Namjoon hadn't noticed the man trying to walk away. Where is he going? Namjoon attempted to reach out towards him, only for Seungwon to run off. That man is a fool!_

_Namjoon huffed again to himself, kicking the ground. Girls? Explore? Namjoon scoffed, shaking his head at those words. He's never had any feelings towards anybody and he doesn't intend to. Besides, he'll most likely be placed in an arranged marriage. Falling for someone out of pure love was meaningless. Seungwon should know that. He doesn't get why Seungwon would suggest that to him in the first place. Namjoon continued to fight and get lost in his thoughts, walking absentmindedly until he was crossing a bridge. He couldn't even see what was in front of him. A smaller form dressed in men's clothes, happy to see the Crown Prince out of his chamber. It was a complete delight and surprise to catch him wandering the palace like this. He usually never leaves his wing._

_"Crown Prince! Good afternoon!" You bowed, not knowing you had startled him. Namjoon was brought back into reality and quickly processed what was going on. His brows knitted together at you, watching you lift yourself up again. You gave him such a bright smile while all he could think of was how to get rid of you._

_"Hello there." Great, Namjoon thought to himself. The last thing he wanted was to bump into an angel. Especially a shadow. He won't get left alone at this rate. He knew how you were to a certain degree. How annoyingly persistent you were on performing your 'fate' or whatever nonsense you insisted. "I have to get going."_

_"Of course, Crown Prince. Where are you going?" You asked as he took a step forward. He froze, wanting to groan._

_"Back to my chamber. You may resume whatever task you were originally doing." Namjoon waved you off only for you to trail right behind him._

_"Oh, no worries! I have nothing to do. I planned to talk with Hwayoung, but she appeared busy." You shrugged. "I'll lead you back to your chamber."_

_"I know where it is just fine. I don't need your assistance." Namjoon turned to face you, staring at you with a less than welcoming expression. Your shoulders lifted up to your head with how coldly he treated you. Sometimes he could be nice when you guys kept your distance. You suppose you were annoying by standing so close._

_"I'll stand ten feet away from you! Just how you like it!" You suggested enthusiastically._

_"I do not 'like it' one bit. I would rather not have you near me at all." Namjoon glared at you. The smile on your face shrank, but you did your best to stay positive. "Just go. That's all I ask of you."_

_"...will you ever utilize your angels, Crown Prince?" You heard yourself say. Namjoon was stunned to hear this coming from you. How bold of you to speak to him this way. Were you questioning his actions? Calling him stupid for not knowing what to do with his angels? Namjoon was fuming now, having enough of this conversation. His mind flashed back to the things Seungwon suggested. Girls. The angels. One his age. It all irritated him beyond belief. There was going to be no love life for Namjoon any time soon. He scoffed, turning back on you as you began to regret your words. "W-Wait! Crown Prince!" You didn't want him to leave. You should apologize for saying such things_

_Reaching out to him, you should have known better than to grab at him. Namjoon gasped to feel your touch, quickly trying to push you away from him. It all happened so fast that you suddenly felt your body falling back and landing into the water with a loud splash._

_Namjoon had accidentally pushed you into the pond._

_The Crown Prince panicked right away as he watched your body sink into the pond. The water was so cold that you were frozen in shock. None of your muscles wanted to move at first until your brain rung alarms. Water was rushing into your lungs. Moving wildly in the water, bubbles reached the surface as Namjoon shouted for help. He ran around the bridge, running hands through his hair as two guards jumped into the water after you. Namjoon's heart wouldn't stop pounding against his chest. So many thoughts were going through his head. He was grateful you weren't wearing armor today or it would have taken you down completely._

_Court ladies rushed to Namjoon's side as he ordered them to help clean you up and get you changed in a new set of clothes. They bowed while the guards patted your back, waiting for you to cough up the disgusting water that entered you. A part of you felt like throwing up, but you would rather go with the court ladies at this point. Namjoon watched you in concern as he pressed his lips tightly together. He didn't mean to push you like that. His mind wouldn't let the memory drop so easily. He kept seeing your body going over the rails and it made his chest tighten. D*mn it. He paced outside of the washroom the court ladies had you in. He knew he had to apologize to you for his behavior. You're meant to protect him, but he's meant to return the favor too. In the very least, not push you into a pond._

_"We finished bathing her, Crown Prince." Two court ladies stepped out, bowing to him._

_"Thank you..." He sighed as he looked at the doors. They waited for his next command patiently. Biting the inside of his cheek, Namjoon turned to them once again. "You two may leave. I want to talk to her privately."_

_"Yes, Crown Prince." The two bowed again while glancing at each other. They moved slowly as they left, confusing Namjoon. He just wanted to make this quick. Apologize and go._

_Namjoon opened the washroom doors without another thought. He didn't care about the hesitance from the court ladies. He focused on himself once again as you sat on the floor in a small room behind a paper screen that divided the room. The court ladies were kind when they washed you up. It wasn't necessary, but you won't fight with the Crown Prince's orders. Besides, they gave you a dress to wear while they clean your regular attire. You had just finished wiping yourself down with a cloth and slipping on your undergarments. Just as you were beginning to cover your bare chest, the screen moved to the side. A squeak left you from how sudden it was. You expected it to be a court lady only to meet eyes with Namjoon. His face was slowly turning red with how much skin you were showing._

_"C-Crown Prince...m-may we speak after I change?" You requested. This was embarrassing. Holding the cloth closer to your chest, you looked to the side shyly. Eye contact was too hard right now._

_"R-Right! Of course! Er, sorry..." Namjoon swallowed hard. His eyes trying not to focus on the way your cleavage grew the tighter you held the cloth. He grabbed the screen, slowly closing it again before one last thing. He looked you up and down while you remained oblivious to his actions. He closed the screen, turning away with his entire body flushed. Holy...Namjoon cleared his throat, his mind now on your body. Girls, huh? Maybe he can see what Seungwon was talking about. He just might be onto something._

*~*

The girls were all in their undergarments. You hurriedly put them on, trying not to laugh at the fact that history had practically repeated itself. Does Namjoon do this on purpose? Is he a pervert? You snickered to yourself as Solji lead the way back around the King so he wouldn't see. Just as you were following behind Hwayoung, Solji told him that the area was clear. He was free to go bathe. Namjoon moved slowly as he checked the water, clearing his throat. His brows furrowed as he put his hands on his hips. What was he thinking now? You shook your head, humming to yourself without much thoughts in your head.

"Angel (F/n)!" Namjoon shouted. Turning tense, you halted in your tracks to hear him calling out for you. What is he doing? You blinked, looking at the rest of the angels who were just as lost. "I want you to stay behind and keep watch. Be my shadow."

"Oh...yes, my King," You said while screaming inside. He won't even let you change back into your armor? Why so sudden? The angels waved at you, stunned by the request but they weren't going to question it. They disappeared as you walked over to a large rock, hiding your body from the King. Namjoon was walking over to the water, huffing to himself. "Everything okay, my King?"

"Is it too much to ask for you to undress me?" Namjoon turned to the sound of your voice. He saw your head quickly duck down, embarrassed. A smirk appeared on his face just as he took a look around the area. The two of you were alone. Perfect. "Something wrong, (F/n)?"

"Namjoon, I'm still in my undergarments." You whined.

"Nothing I haven't seen before."

"So you remember!?" You wanted to hit your head against the boulder.

"It was embarrassing for me too," Namjoon retorted. You highly doubted that with Namjoon just chuckling at the memory. He treated you kinder after that. While you thought it was because of the accident, he just thought of breasts in his teen years. Eventually he got a grip of himself as he matured. "Now come undress me."

"Please learn how to do it yourself." You slowly poked your head up from the rock.

"I'll close my eyes." Namjoon scrunched his face up. You stared at him, grumbling under your breath. He better keep his eyes shut. The male stood still as you carefully walked over to him. You inched towards him, bringing your fingers to the top of his coat. This is going to be just like last time. Hopefully he won't get mad at you for not wanting to remove his trousers. Just as you were about to remove his clothes, Namjoon randomly wrapped his arms around you.

"Namjoon!" You squeaked.

"Shh!" Namjoon laughed, twirling in circles with you in his arms. You were panicked at first with what he was doing. Clutching on to him, you had your arms wrapped tightly around him. It wasn't long before you were giggling. Warmth was appearing in your stomach, flutters all over your body. You smiled at him, admiring him and feeling an ache in your heart. Someone you can't have. Namjoon's dimples were close to telling you otherwise. How could he be someone else's when he looked at you in this way? Greed was dragging you down at hole. Why couldn't he be yours? Your smile became weak as he slowly lowered you onto your feet. "I only did that because you were so nervous. Are you still nervous?"

"No, I'm better now." You nodded to see his large grin. Though you were left in only your undergarments, you suppose it didn't feel too bad to stand in front of him like this. Your husband won't know in the future. But that didn't mean you could go around doing anything you pleased.

"Now help me in detail so I can take off my clothes in the future without bothering you." Namjoon raised his arms.

"Yes, King." You bowed your head, giggling at his small pout. He was so against hearing that title from you when the two of you were alone. It was only a habit and at the same time, you found him quite adorable. Taking off the coat, you instructed him on how to fold it as well. One by one, his articles of clothing were peeled away until he was left in his trousers. "I hope you can handle this part on your own."

"I would love it more if you did it for me." Namjoon teased. Was he even paying attention? He chuckled as soon he saw your face turn red. He's ridiculous! Shaking your head shyly, you retreated back towards the boulder so he could have his privacy. There was a lot of frustration on his part, but he got the trousers off without ripping them. That's a success. "Okay, they're off!"

"And you're in the water?" You asked.

"I'm not a perverted man, (F/n)." Namjoon scoffed. "I'm a gentleman."

"Water?"

"Yes, I'm in the water!" Namjoon huffed.

Giggling, you walked away from the boulder to retrieve his trousers. You folded them up and placed them on a dry rock. Namjoon was thankfully telling the truth. He was in the water, removing his bun and letting his hair fall down. Your heart almost skipped a beat as you watched him. Guilt was heavy inside you. This should be the last time. The last time you covet King Namjoon. You'll allow yourself to yearn for today at most, but it is officially over tomorrow. He's meant for that other woman. Not you. Sighing to yourself, you sat on the boulder as he cleaned himself. Namjoon would occasionally look over at you and smile. It almost looked like he was trying to flex his body in front of you. What is he even doing? You smiled sadly at him, enjoying what you could.

Namjoon didn't say anything in the water. He cleaned himself and swam in the water longer than he needed to. Mainly because he gave himself the same promise. He shouldn't covet you anymore no matter how tempting it was. A part of him wanted to abuse his power for his own selfish needs. He wanted to strip you of the title Guardian Angel and make you a royal concubine. That way he could produce an heir of pure blood with Lady Eunchae while having you. That thought led to so many problems though. Namjoon saw Lady Eunchae getting jealous. Namjoon saw you getting upset with the change of title. Maybe you would resent him. He wanted you to be all his. He didn't even want Lady Eunchae at this point. Would it be too much to make (F/n) his Queen? He wanted you.

"Stop," Namjoon mumbled to himself. Cupping water in his hands, he washed his face and pushed back his long hair. The cold water was enough to make him think. He should perform his duties as King for the nation. This was never really about him. It's politics. The male sighed as he began to walk out of the water.

"Namjoon! You should warn me!" You covered your eyes. Luckily, you didn't see anything. You caught him walking towards you and saw more skin of him showing. You acted quick, your heart banging against your chest. Namjoon only chuckled, his voice so close. He reached for his trousers and put them on before pulling your hands away from your eyes.

"Is it so bad to see what I have?" Namjoon raised a brow.

"You said you were a gentleman," You murmured.

"For the most part." Namjoon shrugged, lowering your hands. He held them in his large ones and took a breath. He wants this so much. You did as well. His thumbs rubbed circles in the back of your hands before he spoke again, "Can you put my hair in a bun again?"

"Of course, my King." You nodded.

"It's Namjoon." He turned around to lean against the rock. Namjoon's voice was below a whisper, giving you up inside his head. He already missed you despite you being with him. He couldn't face you as he said goodbye to his wishes. You wrung out his hair first, smiling sadly as you took your time with his bun. You wanted to milk this moment for everything you could. Your heart ached with his as the two of you promised silently not to covet one another.

"Right. Namjoon." You ignored the tears welling up in your eyes. Just do your job.

Why did Fate have to be so cruel?


	21. Unwanted Promise

Ch.20

It's only been a day since you've given up on Namjoon entirely. You had promised yourself that it was over and done with. No more being on the fence about the idea. He's meant to be with someone else so all your feelings were pointless. Every rush of adrenaline was in your imagination. Every beat of your heart was scheduled without surprises. There was no magical feeling being around the King. Nothing of that sort was happening nor was it possible. King Namjoon is your friend at most. There will never be anything else. There can't even be an idea of anything else. Your Fate is to be his angel, to protect him and die for him if need be. Plain and simple.

Yet it all felt so draining to constantly remind yourself of all that. It took little to no energy to be fond of him. Somehow you felt better if you let yourself slip and like him. It made no sense, but you did your best to stick to your promise. It shouldn't be as hard as it's proving to be. It was a constant annoyance in your life now and it's only been a day. A day! Letting out a huff, you stroked Happy's hair in hopes that would make you feel better. All of you were traveling closer to the mountain. You could see its tall peaks much closer, no longer in the far distance hidden by clouds. Solji and Heeyeon estimate that it will take four to five days to reach the mountains. Perfect! You knew this journey was a month long from the start, but it certainly was taking its sweet time.

"Are we there yet?" Jeonghwa whined.

"Does it look like we are?" Hyelin scoffed.

"Saying that won't make us go any faster," Heeyeon said.

"Nor will it bring the mountain to us," Hyojin added.

"Patience, Jeonghwa." Solji's voice was soothing to the rest of you besides the maknae.

"I've been patient!" She frowned.

"I beg to differ." Hwayoung joined the conversation.

"What does that mean!?" Jeonghwa looked over her shoulder.

"I agree with Hwayoung," You intoned. Jeonghwa quickly turned to face you, an evident pout on her face. She grumbled under her breath about how mean her unnies were being. Fine, but you knew she would act cute to get food from you guys later.

Namjoon had his windows closed, but that didn't stop him from overhearing everything. He could hear Jeonghwa being silly. His chuckles were soft, but you heard them clearly. You smiled right away to know he was listening to it all. Jeonghwa certainly embarrassed herself in front of the King. He doesn't even know that this was barely the half of it. All of you were used to your maknae and her habits. Giggling to yourself, you were happy that you were able to distract yourself for a solid few minutes. That obviously didn't last the moment you were reminded of his presence. His laughter alone made your heart feel tight. It was as if your entire chest was constricting, knowing you couldn't enjoy his laughter like you used to.

This is going to be a painful journey. Though your hopes towards Lady Eunchae had changed, you still wished for essentially the same thing. You want her to make Namjoon happy. That's all. That should be able to take care of the rest. You don't care to get close to her anymore. There was no desire to be friends with her and have the rest of the angels have the same relationship. For your own sake, you hoped they kept a distance. The last thing you wanted was to pretend you had excuses to avoid the future Queen. You would say things like you needed to talk to a historian or go to a merchant when in reality, you wanted to avoid feeling your heart hurt. Even imagining their wedding had you sighing heavily.

Was it wrong of you to wish she wasn't pretty?

She probably is. A lot more charming than you too. She has more to offer Namjoon than you do as his guardian angel. Almost. She can give him all the riches in the world. With her wealth, the lady could give Namjoon fine silks from the west. Books of medicinal practices from the west, rare brushes to write with, and quality cattle. She could afford to feed his entire army for a few months at most. Lady Eunchae is capable of all that and even giving him a pure blood child. She can offer him everything you can't except for one thing you've been willing to give up for him since you were fated to be his angel. You would give up your life for Namjoon.

And even then, what good does that do for the two of you? The moment you die is when there will be no obstacles for Lady Eunchae. Petting Happy, you felt yourself sulking again. The pain was spreading in your chest as you thought about the two being a couple. You've never met Lady Eunchae, but you could only imagine how gorgeous she must be. It's all wealth though. Unless her personality pulls Namjoon in. This is one of the most annoying things you have to go through. Training to fight was a lot more tolerable than this. At least you got something out of it! There was no one you could talk to about this. Not even Hwayoung.

This trip was feeling a lot more lonely than it needed to be. Sighing to yourself, you just tried to focus on the path ahead of you. Follow Solji, protect Namjoon, and stay close to everyone. That's all you needed to do. _Focus_. And though you felt lonely, someone was feeling the same exact way as you. Inside the carriage was Namjoon, quiet now that his laughter died down. He couldn't bring himself to open the window on the right. He knew that he would want to ignore his promise the second he looks at you. That already posed multiple problems for him. He couldn't avoid you and it's not like he wanted to do that either. That wasn't an option he was willing to consider at all.

Maybe because you were born the same year as him, he felt a strong connection to you. The two of you were bonded by Fate yet it was different with Hwayoung. He considered her a friend and he was happy to see her with Seungwon. They were clearly meant to be. It would cause him to imagine what the couple had with you and him. Namjoon knew that wasn't doing him any favors. He was falling faster than he liked. It was scaring him to his core the more he realized he had no control over his emotions. This is what Seungwon was talking about. When he held you, spinning around without a care is when he felt the most powerful. No crown ever gave him that rush of feelings. And now with the window closed, a barrier between the two of you...he felt crushed by the world.

"Sh*t." Namjoon rubbed his face with his hands. "Where is Seungwon when you need him? At the f*cking palace instead of by my side." He groaned, upset that he had no one to talk to about this. Seungwon would know what to do or he would at least help Namjoon a lot better than anyone else could.

Out of pure frustration, Namjoon opened the left window. Hwayoung glanced at him and noted that he was looking past her. She didn't mind, letting him get a breath of fresh air. The male tried to act like nothing was off with but felt it was obvious. He wasn't talking to her nor did he have the energy to keep his posture straight. He leaned against the window frame, looking out at the scenery when he saw something. It was a quick flash, but he swear he saw it. He pushed himself from the window to poke his entire head out. Hwayoung frowned, feeling like he was going to fall out as he searched for something. What was he even looking at?

"A deer! I saw a deer! Stop the carriage!" Namjoon went back inside. Movement slowly came to a halt as he opened the carriage doors. The angels barely had time to react as he ran towards the animal. None of the angels saw anything, confused on what he was going on about. None of them had time to ask each other though. Their King was running from them.

"King! Come back!" Solji hopped off her horse.

"Where is he going!?" Heeyeon growled.

"He mentioned a deer!" Hwayoung followed.

"Come on, Unnie!" Jeonghwa left her horse.

"I'm hurrying!" Hyelin huffed.

"My King! Please allow us to do the hunting! Come back!" You climbed off your horse. Your heart was racing at the fact that he sprinted off into the woods with no weapons. What is he thinking?

"Wait! What about our things...we...forget it!" Hyojin shook her head, abandoning everything as she chased after the King with all of you.

You weren't completely sure what was going on. One moment Namjoon was inside the carriage while you were sulking and now he's running away with everyone panicking. This supposed deer wasn't important right now! He should be thinking about his safety! What is he doing by running into the forest like this? Something as simple as him tripping had you terrified. None of you can allow even the smallest scratch on the King. The armor made it hard to run but you were trained to carry this weight for hours. The angels were stampeding wildly after the King. You so badly wanted to call him by his name in hopes that he would listen. He seemed to block out hearing his title as he chased after this 'deer'.

If this deer is actually real then you were certain that Hyojin would use her arrow on it instantly. She was the most frustrated by the situation. Solji called out to the King in worry while Heeyeon occasionally complained about what was going on. The rest of you remained silent, chasing after Namjoon who was surprisingly fast. Thankfully he was no match for Jeonghwa. The maknae sped through all of you, eventually grabbing onto the King. Not before screaming an apology first. Namjoon was put to a halt, almost falling over from Jeonghwa's action. They stumbled but she was able to stay on her feet and force Namjoon to face the rest of the angels. All of you were panting heavily, eyes narrowing down on Namjoon.

"Your Majesty, may I ask what you were thinking when you decided to run out of the carriage?" Solji questioned.

"I told you. A deer!" Namjoon was released by Jeonghwa, turning around to look for the animal. It wasn't anywhere in sight. If it had decided to randomly show up, it would be lunch. Except it never appeared. Namjoon licked his lips as he faced you all again with a frown. "Well, I lost it now."

"Are you blaming us?" Hyojin crossed her arms.

"Does this deer even exist?" Hyelin mumbled.

"Hey now, still show respect." You shot glares at the angels. They bit their lips the moment you caught them getting a little too relaxed with the King. It was somehow easier for the older angels to nag at Namjoon. You would think since they trained longer it would be harder, but they were ready to jump into the role of older sister.

"There's no deer," Hwayoung stated. "We should head back, my King. We left everything on its own."

"Oh, I'm sure everything is fine. There's no one around! All I've seen is tree after tree." Namjoon threw his arms up.

"Still, it's best to head back." Solji sighed.

"We've gone pretty far from our things." Jeonghwa began walking back.

Namjoon held a small pout on his lips. It was a frown at first before it inevitably fell lower. You knew he felt bad for dragging all the angels over here and for making them worry. Somehow you had quickly forgiven him. Though you were terrified he would have gotten hurt, you just didn't want to see him looking down. You stared at the King until he looked up at you. Blushing, you hoped he didn't catch you from being so obvious. That helped his frown turn into a small smile as he pretended he didn't get a glimpse of you looking his way.

The two of you were feeling butterflies the entire walk back. So much for telling yourself to keep your promises. You found yourself walking next to Namjoon and he would occasionally brush arms with you. The both of you were in your own little world while the other angels were in grumpier moods or neutral. They didn't care too much now that Namjoon was with them. They had their King safe and that's all that matters. Well, that wasn't the complete truth. The angels froze in their spots once they arrived to where everything you left should have been. You broke out of your thoughts, confused with their sudden halt. You looked to see what had them acting this way. That's when your own jaw dropped.

"Where are our things?!"

*~*

Two thieves snickered as they rode off with all the goods they managed to steal. It all happened by chance. They couldn't believe it! One wagon was filled entirely with expensive goods that not any merchant could just buy. They wanted to faint when they uncovered it at first. Should they cheer? Cry tears of joy? No, they had to move fast. That's what they were told to do. If they didn't get this now then they would lose it all. They were risking death just stealing it all in the first place. They tied all the horses together so they would walk together. It was impossible for them to all be ridden. Most of them didn't want to cooperate anyway. Only one was friendly, making little noises as if it were happy all the time. Then another didn't seem to care about the sudden change of owner.

They figured they could sell the carriage for a good sum of money to a noble family. Everything in the wagon almost felt too good to give away. The thieves were greedy, wanting to hold it and bathe in the items that cost more than they would ever spend in their entire lives. This stuff was worthy of Kings and Queens! The two couldn't stop smiling as they rode off in a different direction from where the horses were facing. They didn't want to risk getting caught by the true owners. They were sneaky thieves so they basically knew the rules already. Riding their new horses, the two couldn't wait to reach a small village and drink some alcohol. They could afford it now for sure!

"I can't believe that man at the market was telling the truth!" The younger smiled.

"I admit, he was incredibly suspicious, but look where we are now, Jimin!" The older grinned, motioning his arms towards the wagon. "We should thank him the next time we return to the capital!"

"Normally I don't believe in fortune tellers or whatever that Yoongi man considers himself to be, but I believe today, Hoseok hyung!" Jimin sighed blissfully.

"Let's go treat ourselves!" Hoseok threw his fist in the air.

"We deserve it, Hyung!" Jimin threw his own fist up.

*~*

There was nothing. Not a single horse was left. Was this the right place? It could just be a huge misunderstanding. Shaking your head, you walked forward with the other angels as they examined the area in disbelief. You wanted to deny that you guys had been robbed, but it was getting harder and harder to think of something else. The tracks of the horses and wheels were on the dirt. Faint, but visible. All your belongings were taken. Everything for Lady Eunchae, gone. What the hell are you guys supposed to do?

"We've been robbed..." Hwayoung was the first to speak.

"How could this happen? We were only gone for a minute!" Jeonghwa stomped her foot in frustration.

"This can't be...Angel Solji!" Namjoon walked up to her immediately. The eldest turned to him, her brows knitted tightly together.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"Do you carry anything of value?" Namjoon asked. The angel thought to herself as Heeyeon began to pat herself down. It wasn't long before she gave Hyelin a scared face. Namjoon stopped looking at Solji to a raise a brow at Heeyeon. "What's with that face?"

"Uh, well...I don't have the map on me. The one that's supposed to make our journey through the mountains shorter..." Heeyeon did her best to give Namjoon a charming smile. It wasn't really working as Namjoon closed his eyes tightly.

"I only have the compass on me." Solji pulled it out, letting out a breath of relief.

"Do we have nothing else?" Namjoon looked at the others.

"Nothing besides what we carry on our backs," Hyojin answered. Namjoon sighed, checking each angel to see what they carried. Weapons was the main thing all of you had, water pouches, and then little personal trinkets. He supposes that was better than nothing. At the same time, Namjoon was trying not to kick himself. Why did he have to chase after that deer? He was born with royal blood, growing up with everything. He wasn't used to this as is, but now things have gotten a lot worse. Panic was evident on the King's face as he processed the situation. Solji was quick to act as leader, getting everyone to come closer and make a circle around her.

"Take deep breaths. We'll take things on little by little." Solji eyed the King. "We'll have to travel on feet for now it seems. We'll sleep and eat as normal towards the night, but our journey has now grown longer."

"You've got to be joking." Heeyeon huffed.

"You lost the map, hush." Hyojin scoffed as Heeyeon struggled to make a good comeback. She only ended up making a weird face, wincing at her loss.

"As I was saying, we'll do our best to reach the mountains and find a village. We'll try to get what we need there and rest before continuing." Solji pursed her lips.

"And how long do you think this will take?" Namjoon tilted his head. Solji was quiet for what felt like decades until she finally looked the King in the eye.

"Three months approximately."

"Three months?!" Hyelin screamed. Her eyes grew twice their size as her mouth fell open. She was speechless, looking at Jeonghwa like she wanted to scream but nothing was coming out.

"All because of thieves!" Jeonghwa whined.

"We should start moving soon unless we intend to stop here for the night." Solji took a step away from the circle.

"Yeah, we should go." You nodded your head.

The angels began to march forward, arranging themselves in lines with Namjoon in the middle. You were prepared to walk for hours on end. It wasn't anything too outrageous. Many court ladies and eunuchs do the same when doing short journeys. The only thing that had the rest of you worried was Namjoon. He wasn't used to this in the slightest. Hopefully he'll be able to push through. None of you were going to make him feel bad for the sudden turn of events. The most he got was scolded, but it wasn't any of your places to talk to the King like that. And this time around, your mind wasn't on Namjoon as the journey continued, but on Happy.

Happy was your horse and you broke a rule by naming him. You got attached to the loveable animal. Now he was gone wherever he was. You just hope that he's going to be fed and taken care of wherever he was. There was a slight urge to cry, but you replaced your emotions with a stoic face. At least you were trained to do that. None of the angels noticed for the few hours all of you walked forward, following Solji and her compass. Namjoon was silent the entire time as well. He kept his head down, the rim of his gat blocking any view of his face. It wasn't until Solji looked up at the sky and declared a pause that he lifted his head up.

Tasks were carried out as normal. The only difference was that there was no bamboo mats to sleep on now. Not even a carriage for the King to rest in. You figure Solji will come up with something or Namjoon will just sleep on the hard ground like the rest of you. Sighing to yourself, you wandered into the woods for firewood. There should be plenty around so it won't be too hard. The others split ways while Namjoon watched your gloomy form walk away. He bit the inside of his check, following you without saying a word to Solji and Jeonghwa. They only watched him and figured he was going with you for firewood. It was nothing out of the ordinary in their eyes.

"Angel (F/n), wait for me." Namjoon couldn't ignore the aura you had around you. At the sound of his voice, you looked up at him in surprise.

"What are you doing? It's safer to stay with—" You began only for him to shake his head.

"What's wrong?" Namjoon walked closer to you. Closing your mouth, you didn't know what to say. Were you that obvious? You were certain that you weren't giving any signs about your true emotions. "Please tell me. It's okay." He persisted as you fought with yourself inside.

It wasn't that big of a deal. Namjoon wouldn't take that as an answer though. He followed you stubbornly as you struggled to just say a single word. You would only be mentioning your horse yet it was personal information. Hwayoung didn't even know you named the animal. No matter how much you wanted to push this problem aside, you couldn't. You genuinely cared and loved Happy. Petting him made you feel better for whenever you were feeling less than his name implied. This was the most you ever got to ride him and now he was gone. It didn't feel fair in the slightest.

"Happy..." You started, voice weak. Namjoon looked at you gently as he allowed you to continue. "My horse's name was Happy. I wasn't supposed to name him...but I did. I really loved him, Namjoon." You fidgeted with your fingers. He stared at you in slight surprise. He didn't expect your horse to be the cause of your sorrow, but that didn't stop him from worrying about you.

"I'm sorry." Namjoon frowned, carefully placing his hand on your back. "...can you tell me about Happy?"

He wants to hear about Happy? Namjoon and you walked away further from where Solji was. It would be okay if you took your time getting the firewood, right? Allowing Namjoon to take you under his arm, you finally spoke about Happy with someone else. Sharing your favorite memories that you had with the animal. He was more than just a horse you rode. He was like a big dog to you. Adorable and filled with energy. He had a good personality compared to some military horses you've met. Falling off Happy was always an accident. He never did it on purpose which is one of the reasons you trusted him so much. You refused to borrow anyone else's horse or let them take Happy.

Happy meant a lot to you for a lot of reasons. Mainly because you've been with him since he was a little foal. Actually, you were there when he was first born. Your father handled cattle and worked with a lot of the horses that were raised for the military or for royal guards. You had to make one thing straight with Namjoon first. You're not close to your father at all and you never intend to be. Not even if younger you wished that he would be kinder or even have the decency not to hit you, but that's in the past. The only good memory you have with your father is helping him get Happy out from his mother. He was so small and skinny when he came out, covered in placenta. Father removed it as Happy's mom sniffed him and you were a terrified six year old, but you found a friend that day.

You got to spend time with Happy when he was a foal. Eventually he had to go through training to be a horse fit for a guardian angel and you had to go through your own. The two of you grew stronger and went through your own trials. You didn't know you weren't supposed to name him until Hwayoung tried to name hers and got scolded by Solji. So you kept it a secret seeing as Hwayoung then scolded Jeonghwa when the maknae tried to do the same years later. Happy almost became your secret, but it was alright. He made you happy just by existing and now he was gone. He's only fourteen years old so he's not old in your opinion. He's healthy and fit and...you hope he's safe.

"You're the only one who knows about Happy." You walked away from Namjoon's arm. It was time to start doing your job anyway. Crouching down to grab firewood, you didn't notice how fixated Namjoon's eyes were on you. "...thank you for letting me talk about him. It did make me feel a little better, Namjoon."

He's the only one you confessed anything about Happy to. To everyone else, Happy was just a horse you had a huge preference over. That was it. Namjoon felt his hard pounding as he stared at your crouching form. He was struggling to control any of his emotions. He was the only who knew? Namjoon swallowed hard, realizing the amount of trust you gave him. You allow yourself to be vulnerable in front of him, not caring if he's the King. The two of you are friends and he wanted more. Namjoon knew he told himself that he would give up on you, but he couldn't do it. That was asking the impossible. Especially with everything that was going on.

Fate.

It had be the workings of Fate. The fact that a random deer called to him, pulling him away and getting the rest of the angels to follow. Only he saw the deer for a reason. The angels wouldn't follow just anyone and leave all the belongings unattended. They were stolen because it was already planned in the future. Namjoon's breathing was becoming quick, finally taking the concept of fate seriously. This had to be a sign. He felt he didn't have enough time with you and gave up. Now the two of you had the potential to be together for three months. If this wasn't a sign then what the hell was it because it certainly wasn't a coincidence. Namjoon licked his lips, knowing he had to make you his once and for all. Namjoon called out to you by your full title, Angel Yeon (F/n). You turned to face him with an unknowing hum. For some reason, there was a change in the air. Everything felt different as the two of you locked eyes.

"I have this secret that is unwilling. It wants to come out for all, but not yet. Though not simple to admit this feeling, I want to give you no reason to fret." Namjoon nervously fidgeted but gave you a look filled with confidence. His eyes were filled with overwhelming amounts of love. That look couldn't be for you? Could it? What is he doing? He needs to stop.

"...I struggle to understand what you mean. I do not want to let my mind wander. Pray, do not look at me like a Queen. I believe this is something to ponder." You shook your head, not wanting this to continue. You made a promise and now this was becoming too much. What is happening?

Namjoon frowned instantly. Were you rejecting him before he could even come out with it? The King was desperate to have what he wanted as his already. "I believe I have pondered this enough. What I feel is too deep to look over."

You eyed the ground in shame. You knew Namjoon enough to know he wouldn't quit. "I will take that only as a mere bluff. Even if my feelings are from the same clover."

"So you truly do understand my words?" Namjoon's eyes widened.

"You're not speaking the same as the birds," You saddened.

"Take my love confession and all of me. I have fallen for you, my sweet angel." Namjoon rushed to grab your hands and pull you onto your feet.

The firewood scattered as you stared at him, fighting internally with yourself. You've been craving this for so long. "...I never thought that you would ever agree. I caught myself too, suddenly so faithful..." You were allowing yourself to have this. You wanted this so bad, but it felt too much like a dream. Staring at the handsome King, you were slowly reminded of your promise. This couldn't happen. Ever. "Wait, no! I-I'm so sorry...my King."

"Sorry?" Namjoon raised a brow at you, holding your hands tightly. He wasn't letting you go for any reason. He was baffled with how quick you went through your emotions. From acting oblivious to in love to denying him so suddenly. "But I love you. (F/n), you took my heart and no one has ever done that before. I can't let you just walk away from me as if it means nothing to you."

"But it doesn't mean nothing to me!" You cried out. Namjoon furrowed his brows silently as you grew teary eyed. "I...you...we shouldn't be together, Namjoon. You mean a lot to me for multiple reasons, but I cannot accept your love. It's not real."

"Not real?" Namjoon almost shouted. He scoffed at the things you were saying. With so much time to think in these pesky woods, this was the thing he was most sure of. He couldn't believe you were brushing them off so easily. "You can't say that. I love you, (F/n)! I want you to be mine!"

"Namjoon, stop." You shook your head, trying to pull your arms away from him. He stayed persistent as he held you. Namjoon eventually pulled you into a hug as you sobbed into his chest, allowing you to squirm. He knew you were stronger than him. If you wanted to, you could throw him over your back. You let yourself be weak in front of him. Namjoon's embrace was full of warmth even as tears welled up in his own eyes. He figured the two of you wouldn't be able to happen, but it felt worse hearing it from you directly. You didn't even give him a chance. It felt like all his dreams were crashing down. No emotion has ever consumed him so much to take him to his greatest highs and lowest lows.

"I love you," Namjoon mumbled. "I love you more than words can describe."

"...I'm sor—"

"Don't say that. Don't think about your duties to me as an angel and tell me how you truly feel towards me." Namjoon begged. Staying quiet in his arms, you let him grip your clothes tightly. Your heart was breaking. You wanted him to feel the same way and now that your fantasy came to life, you were the one to crush it.

"My personal feelings don't matter in this and yours don't either," You stated. Namjoon pulled away from the hug in shock, staring at your stoic expression. "Namjoon, you were born to be a King and lead this nation. That is your Fate. It's in your nature. Being human, a man, an individual is second. Weddings between nobles and royals are done for politics. It's not your wedding, but the nation's. The historians write it and flip to the next page. That is all...so please don't get stuck—"

"But our story never even begun!" Namjoon shook your shoulders. You couldn't look him in the eyes. He was crying and so were you. No matter how painful this was, it had to be done.

"Good." You carefully peeled his arms off of you. Wiping your face, you collected the firewood from off the ground without another word. Namjoon was breathing heavily, not caring if tears were still rolling down his cheeks or not. His eyes were stuck to you and only you. Standing up, you bowed at him before walking to return to the others.

"I will not give up, Yeon (F/n)!" Namjoon declared, slowly following you back. You almost froze at his words, closing your eyes in hopes that he wouldn't. There was a fire in his chest that was determined. He wouldn't accept this rejection. Namjoon was going to make you his Queen no matter what. Fate is going to do his bidding.


	22. Nonsense

Ch.21

_I will not give up._

His words were haunting you more than they should have. You wanted to ignore him and brush off his words. He couldn't mean it. There is no way he would be that stubborn to chase after someone like you. He would be a fool to do so since this entire mission was to get him married to another woman in the first place. You hope Namjoon doesn't follow through with anything. Even if you dreamed in your sleep to hold his hand and cross meadows with him, you needed those to stay in your head. Let them stay dreams and nothing more. Namjoon should do the same.

The two of you didn't speak to each other the entire time that night. You felt too sensitive to speak. If anyone even looked at you the wrong way, you had a feeling you would burst into tears all over again. Namjoon's eyes were red and it was evident he wasn't in the best mood. Solji didn't bother to ask him about it. The King was glaring anytime someone tried to pry. He wanted to keep his eyes on you. Anytime he would look at you, his gaze would melt and become gentle. You were a small dove in his eyes. He wanted to protect you from everything. The most Namjoon could ask for at the moment was for you to keep the hairpin in your hair.

A part of you was contemplating returning it to him. It was a thought that drifted into your head when you were struggling to sleep. That thought didn't help one bit. All it did was make you cry silently while everyone slept peacefully. They were left in the dark like they should be. You didn't want to get rid of the hairpin. It was the first gift you ever received. The only thing that represented your family with the emblem of the little bird. Was it selfish of you to want to keep this when you rejected Namjoon's feelings? You held the pin tightly as you tried to sleep. Slight shuffling got you to open your eyes again, alert only to see Namjoon scooted closer to you.

"What are you doing?" You whispered.

"Keep it." Namjoon reached his hand out to wipe your tears. Your heart was pounding, your throat tight as you let him comfort you. Stick to your promise. Clearing your throat, Namjoon frowned at you. He wanted to do what he pleased. He placed his hand on top of yours, the same one that was clutching onto the hairpin. "I love you."

"Stop saying that." You shook your head.

"Sleep well, my love." Namjoon smiled.

You wanted to sigh at the way he was behaving. He wasn't helping your heart. Your chest was aching and you felt cold the moment he retracted his hand from yours. Honestly, you felt pathetic. Greedy as well. You wanted him to call you endearing names, to comfort you whenever you feel down, and to hold your hand. Biting your lip, you did your best not to let yourself even have such thoughts. Rejecting him meant that you couldn't keep thinking this way. It was for the best. Everything you're doing is following his mother's words. Getting him to Lady Eunchae so he can produce a pure blood heir was her last wish. While you could give Namjoon your life, you could never give him a pure blood. That alone told you to stay in your place.

Sleeping was the hardest that night. You barely got any of it while the rest of the angels were well rested. All of them were walking with straight postures meanwhile you were practically hunching over. Resisting the urge to yawn was slowly becoming your main focus. Normally, that would get on your nerves but if that wasn't on your mind then you would be focusing on something else. Specifically, someone else. Namjoon had his gat on with the brim pulled down. He did that just so he could stare at you without any of the angels asking. Can't he look at someone else? Or even a tree! A bird! Anything other than you because you know for certain that you can't possibly be that interesting.

Unfortunately it wouldn't take long for you to fully wake up. The urge to yawn would naturally leave you as the day went on. You tried to remain oblivious to gaze and he knew that. It was obvious in his eyes. Namjoon had been staring at you in hopes of breaking you down. Also because he enjoyed looking at you. Plus, he needed to think up an idea. He needed to get you alone somehow without anyone interrupting. Only then can he seduce you. Well, not exactly seduce but at least get you to admit you feel the same way. He knew you did. It was heavily implied, but he wants to hear those three words. He wants to see them leave your lips. He also wanted to kiss those lips. Seungwon's little lesson kept popping up in his head.

"Um, I want to eat berries. I'm not feeling meat for lunch. I want something light that I can eat while we walk." Namjoon paused. Everyone turned to face him, looking at each other before they nodded. Solji began to split everyone into pairs and once your name was said, Namjoon intervened. "I'll go with (F/n)! Everyone get as much berries as you can. Meet here when you get the most you can carry."

"Er, yes, your Majesty." Solji was surprised at his sudden orders. "You heard him."

They were all quick to move besides you. As they ran off, you had your mouth open in disbelief. You had to say something, but what? He left you completely stunned. He can't plan to always partner with you. That'll become suspicious to the rest of the angels even if you never intend to admit your feelings. Scoffing at the King, Namjoon only grinned as the two of you went walking in the same direction. He's lucky he left you speechless. You can be just as cutthroat with your words like Hyojin when you want to be! Okay, that's not true. You wish you were. She's a cool unnie, but that's not the point! You continued to huff in annoyance, puffing out your cheeks while he stared at you in pure admiration. Love in his eyes as he smiled at you.

"Quit staring at me like that," You pleaded.

"I love you." Namjoon's words made your heart jump. You've heard it more than five times from him, but it was still getting you to panic like the first.

"Don't say things like that so casually."

"You're my Queen. I don't want Lady Eunchae," Namjoon said as you quickly grabbed onto his coat.

"That will never happen and don't speak such things into existence, your Majesty. You should know better." Your tone bitter. You couldn't believe he said that without any hesitation. He may be King, but he can't get everything he wants. There was no logic in his brain at the moment.

"Don't call me that." Namjoon narrowed his eyes on you. He grabbed your hands, pulling them off his coat. He would tolerate getting orders from you. He would deal with your complaints and hell, he'd let you cuss him out. The only thing that got his blood to boil was hearing you address him formally as King when the two of you were in private. Even if it were in jest. "My name is Namjoon and that's how you should address me when we're alone."

"Is that a royal command?" You remarked. Namjoon's strong expression faltered to hear that from you. It was cruel yet there was truth behind it. He's used to telling you what to do and having you follow. He has another thing coming if he thinks you'll behave the same way if the two of you are together. The King allowed his head to lower shamefully, seeing what you meant. He couldn't deny that's what it sounded like. Sighing to yourself, you brought your hands up to lift Namjoon's head up. "Keep your head up. It's not right for you to lower it."

"I'm sorry..." Namjoon frowned, his eyes looking down.

"Don't say sorry either. Kings don't apologize to people like me." You chuckled, using your fingers to lift up his cheeks. You were trying to get him to smile. You were doing your best, but his dimples weren't appearing. This wasn't the smile that you feel warm inside.

"What do you mean people like you?" Namjoon scoffed. "Are you implying everyone is below me?"

"Let's just pick berries already." You gave up on trying to get him to smile.

Namjoon kept his eyes on you as you walked away from him. He didn't want to drop the conversation, but it didn't look like you were going to continue. He couldn't look away from you as he thought to himself. Do you truly feel like you're below him? Is that why you're denying him? Namjoon bit the inside his cheek as he walked with you to a bunch of bushes. He could technically marry you if he really wanted. You don't have to be pure blood, but you were right with marriage being all about politics. The nation couldn't care less who Namjoon married as long as the dynasty continued. He could just imagine how upset the scholars and officers of his royal court would be. He'd be 'tainting' the dynasty in their eyes. It would end with him.

That didn't sound so bad, but it wasn't that simple. Namjoon had his hands behind his back as stood next to you. All he did was watch. You were crouching down to look at the little red berries these bushes had. They looked too small and you doubted they were edible. Well, they could be eaten but it would fill no one. Finding berries was harder than you thought it would be. Isn't it supposed to be spring? Standing up, you were going to walk away until you felt the ground beneath you disappear. Strong arms held you tightly, spinning you around. What is he doing!? You yelped as Namjoon stumbled, the two of you falling onto the hard ground with a thud.

"Sh*t...it was a lot more romantic the first time." Namjoon grunted. "You didn't have armor then."

"I was half naked. I'd hardly call that romantic..." You giggled before wincing. You landed on your arm pretty harshly, but it was fine. Just an annoying ache that'll go away in a few minutes. You weren't worried about it though Namjoon was quick to grab onto you.

"What's wrong? Where are you hurt?" Namjoon examined you. "Oh my God, (F/n), did I break you?"

"I'm fine. You're overreacting." You pressed your hand against his chest to push him away from you. He kept trying to get closer and it wasn't good for your heart. Unfortunately for you, Namjoon noticed how troubled you were by his close presence. Did he find it amusing? The male would lean his face close to yours, watching you squirm and turn your face away from his. He pulled away to see you relax with your face now red before repeating his actions. Why was he torturing you for fun? Namjoon laughed as he placed his arms on the other side of you. For a second, you thought your heart stopped beating with him on top of you. Only his upper body, but still. "Namjoon?"

"I love you." Namjoon smiled from the words. He chuckled gently from the butterflies tickling his insides. The blush on your cheeks was light as your stomach fluttered. Seeing him so close like this was almost clouding your mind with hope. "You're beautiful, (F/n)."

"You're too much, my King," You whispered.

"But not enough for you." Namjoon kept his voice low.

"That's not it." You shook your head.

"Then what?" Namjoon scanned your expression. "Because I know for certain you do feel the same. Why won't you say it? Why won't you allow us to happen?"

"I've already told you," You stated. Your voice was soft, unable to frustrate Namjoon. He only felt saddened by your words. That wouldn't stop him from feeling determined as he caressed the side of your face.

"I won't give up." Namjoon gave you a small smile.

"King Namjoon." You wanted to sigh until you saw him leaning closer. Squeaking, you escaped his hold and rolled further to the side. Your heart was racing as you looked at him in shock. Was he going to do what you think he was? Namjoon stared at you with furrowed brows.

"What's wrong?" Namjoon asked. He glanced around before looking at you again with a small smirk. "We're alone."

"Berries! You wanted berries!" Your voice was still high from the rush and panic. Jumping onto your feet, you went straight to work again.

Your mind was all over the place from that small move. D*mn it! Namjoon on the other hand turned onto his back, sighing to himself. He wasn't too disappointed. He sort of expected that type of reaction. He was willing to be patient, but curiosity was slowly getting to him. His mind would go back to the advice Seungwon gave him in detail. Sure, all that stuff was supposed to be for Lady Eunchae, but Namjoon would much rather have you. He got up from the ground and chuckled in amusement as he watched you rush to get berries. He would put his efforts on pause for now and continue later. He'll keep persisting until you finally confess and become his.

When the both of you returned to the rest, they all had a lot more berries than you did. Namjoon allowed you to use his gat to carry the berries meanwhile the rest of the angels used their quivers. They ended up tying a string around the arrows for the mean time. Solji and Namjoon approved of all the findings, walking forward and continuing the journey. At the same, chewing on berries and trying to look on the bright side. The angels were okay with walking a long distance. It was only the fact that they allowed themselves to be vulnerable to thieves that irked all of you. If you ever meet those d*mn thieves, you swear you're going to make them regret ever taking Happy away from you. That's a promise.

Namjoon and you shared berries from the gat. He did try to feed you one only to get a strong glare from you. It was quick, but it got him to stop. If anything, you should be the one feeding him. Still weird though not as strange compared to what he originally wanted. Honestly, you had a feeling that you were going to be paranoid or nervous for the rest of the trip. If Namjoon continues to make his advances obvious then you're as good as screwed. You know how you would react if he was doing this to another angel so you assume the other angels would act the same.

If you were to get into a relationship with the King then you're certain no one would care if the two of you genuinely loved each other. Why deal with the inevitable heartbreak later? In your opinion, you were doing Namjoon a favor by cutting it off so early on. He shouldn't have confessed in the first place. Your words and thoughts were heartless. They were cold, but deep down inside that wasn't how you truly felt. You couldn't change this feeling that was so deep inside of you. You've realized that now, but you can't do anything about it. Nothing good will come out from Namjoon and you becoming lovers. Accepting his love will be selfish when he has duties to perform and you have your own.

You found more and more reasons not to be with him. No matter how strong the urge to overlook them was, you had to think logically. You couldn't lead with your heart. Repeating that in your head like some sort of mantra, you did that until all the berries were gone and when the sun was getting close to setting. Solji called the journey to hold, allowing everyone to perform their nightly tasks. It was routine at this point. No questions were asked. Each angel left immediately and you were trying to hurry before Namjoon could track you down. You couldn't be alone with that man. He is so stubborn that it hurts!

"Angel (F/n), I'm coming with you." Namjoon announced, walking calmly behind you. This man! This man is going to be the reason you go insane. Balling up your hands into fists, you waited for him to catch up with you. He didn't realize how much heart ache he was putting you through. Then again, you were doing the same to him every time you shot down any of his advances.

"Let's not talk so we can make this a quick task," You said, refusing to look at him. Namjoon shook his head at your words as he put his arm around your shoulders.

"You don't have to respond, but I have a few things to say." Namjoon sighed. "First things first, I love you."

"Namjoon!" You whined, turning to face him with begging eyes. "Please stop saying that."

"I will say it even if it leads to my last breath!" Namjoon spoke firmly. Swallowing, you looked away from him and walked forward.

"Don't say scary things like that." You closed your eyes tightly.

"My love—"

"It's not that!" You shouted, looking at him over your shoulder. Namjoon became silent to see your hurt expression. "Talking about your last breath...never say that. I don't know what I would do if you ever...no, I don't want to think about it. My purpose in life is to protect you. I will die with blood of thousands on my hands before anyone ever gets to even lay a finger on you!"

"..." Namjoon was quiet. This wasn't a joke to you. The idea of someone you cared about getting hurt was awful enough, but the fact that he was King made it worse. You're meant to protect him. This is the only thing in life you know that you can do. It's your Fate. "...violence doesn't suit you."

"What?" You scoffed. His words took you aback from how sudden they felt.

"You may be my angel for now, but we'll see about that." Namjoon shrugged, turning to face you with a small smile. "Just know that I do feel safe in your hands and I promise I won't die on your watch."

"Y-You, yeah, you better not!" You stomped the ground. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around you. He luckily didn't spin you in the air this time. It was only a hug. Still, he shouldn't be doing this. Blushing, you looked down and allowed him to hug you in secret.

"I can't wait to make you my wife. My Queen."

"Nonsense."

"I love you."

"No! Nonsense!"

"I love you so much—" Namjoon held you tight as you began to squirm. The male laughed while you eventually began to giggle. This man. He’s something else.


	23. Advice

Ch.22

You may have let yourself slip up yesterday, but it was a mistake. It won't happen again. Certainly not. You refuse to let Namjoon magically make you feel good and make your heart skip a beat once more! To be honest, you shouldn't have let him hug you in the first place. He also needs to stop saying he loves you. It's overwhelming to the point where you can't trust anybody. Does he really love you? That much? It almost feels impossible to love someone that much. Then there was the fact that you felt you didn't deserve his adoration for multiple reasons. Things would be so much easier if you had Happy and he had a window you could close.

Instead, you were stuck closer to this persistent man more than ever. He's intelligent. You knew that already. The problem was that he was using it to get you alone with him. There was never a safe moment. You hoped that the you guys would reach the mountains sooner, but that didn't look like it would be happening for another week. All of you were walking like snails and there wasn't much that could be done about that. The slower pace though only allowed the angels to get more friendly with the King. There was still a level of respect, but Namjoon knew exactly what he was doing. He was tricking the angels into believing he was an affectionate person!

He is not affectionate. At least not naturally. It's not like he hugged any of the angels. He would just step enter their personal bubble more. Namjoon might put his arm around another angel at most, but still kept a distance. He didn't want to come off as too strong. Somehow none of the angels were picking up on this sudden change of behavior. They only thought he was opening up more to them. Then Namjoon was also making it a point to admit that he considered you an extremely close friend. Second to Seungwon so now he had an excuse as to why he would prefer to be with you compared to the others. They were all accepting this so easily! And it's not like you could say anything. Why? Because he's King.

It's not like you could tell Hwayoung that she's being deceived. She would ask why and then that would lead to questions you would refuse to answer. You didn't want to dig yourself into a hole. The less the angels know, the better. You'll just have to deal with Namjoon by yourself. He clearly thinks a lot to himself when you guys walk. In that mind of his is where he's plotting everything. Trying to manipulate the angels into being accepting and his plans to break you down until you give him the answer he wants to hear. Maybe he's not doing it with evil intentions, but you're trying to stay strong. It's only been a few days and you're already growing tired of his stubborn attitude.

You genuinely don't know how much longer you can take his antics. It's not like you're planning on giving up. The thing is, you don't want to be harsher than you're already being. If he keeps this up then you'll have no choice but to finally lay it down for him once and for all. Even if he has feelings for you now, that could always change. Who knows? Maybe Lady Eunchae will be prettier and more charming. Whatever. It's not like you care. Your stoic face became tighter just from the frustrating thought alone. You didn't want it to bother you so much. The idea of Lady Eunchae marrying Namjoon no longer made you happy. There was no smile on your face. Any hope of them being happy together was no longer a wish from you.

"Make up your mind, (F/n)," You muttered to yourself. The rest of the angels were walking at a faster pace while you were slowing down. There was just no energy inside of you.

It was easily overlooked by the other angels. Hyojin and Solji were discussing the plan with Namjoon for when all of you arrive at the mountain. While they figured that out the plans for the future, Heeyeon was telling jokes with Jeonghwa and Hyelin. Those three couldn't stop snorting and cackling about whatever they were whispering into each other's ears. If you were in a better mood, you would have wanted to be included. You just didn't feel in the mood to hear some jokes or even laugh. Laughing feels great though. Why don't you want to feel it? Sighing heavily to yourself, you noticed someone move next to you. They were quiet until you raised your head to look at them in the eyes. Hwayoung.

"I could hear you sighing from a mile away." She nudged your shoulder. "What's distracting you from your duty?"

"From my duty?" Your brows jumped. Coughing, you shook your head and looked away from her. "Oh no, I'm focused—"

"You're terrible at lying." Hwayoung hummed.

"You know, it would be nice if you played along with it once and while." You crossed your arms. Hwayoung began to smile at you but it felt more like a smirk. She saw easily through you. There was no point in trying to lie to her.

"Leaving you to suffer alone? Hmm, no. That's not really how I like to let things play out." Hwayoung shrugged. She looked at you, her smirk dialing down as she gave you a sympathetic look. "Come on. You can tell me. None of the others are listening."

"This...isn't really something I can talk about," You admitted. You wanted to bite on your tongue as you saw her brows raise at your words.

"Not even me?" Hwayoung paused, taking it in slowly. "Must be serious then."

"Well..." You sighed again which only got a small chuckle out of Hwayoung. Puffing your cheeks, you wanted to shake your head again at her. She's luckily opened up more to the others, but they still didn't know her to the full extent. Sometimes she could annoy you so much! And even then, you loved her to pieces. She's lucky you're so fond of her. Scoffing, you think of a way to possibly get back at her and then it clicks. You may not be that great at whistling, but you'll just sing a familiar tune. Hwayoung's eyes bulged immediately to hear that short song leave you.

"What is wrong with you!?" She hissed, grabbing your shoulders. If the two of you were alone then she might have grabbed your throat.

"It's quite the earworm." You remarked with a large grin. She narrowed her eyes on you as she dragged you with her. Though the two of you were bickering, she had no idea how much she was helping you. You actually giggled, relaxing with her a lot faster than you would have by yourself. Hwayoung was just the medicine you needed. "What? Can I not whistle it?"

"You know what it's supposed to mean." Hwayoung rolled her eyes. "And it's only for me and my man to sing."

"Seungwon~!" You sang quietly as she squealed in panic. Everyone else was busy with their own conversations while the two of you were bouncing around in the back. The two of you were covering each other's mouths, wanting to laugh. Slowly the hands were pulled away so the two of you could speak. "Gosh, all I mentioned was his name."

"And that's more than enough." Hwayoung's entire face was red. You loved teasing her like this. None of the other angels would get to see her like this, but you. It was amazing. The girl glared at nothing in particular, putting on a tough expression. "That was a low move to pull off."

"Aw, but I know mentioning him made you happy." You nudged her shoulder playful. Her lips were twitching, the strong aura melting away as she wanted to smile.

"So what if it did?"

"So cute!"

"Stop!"

Hwayoung whined, but you loved this too much to stop. Seeing her get so flustered at the mention of Seungwon made her adorable. She was clearly uncomfortable and wishing you would give her mercy. You'll think about it. The two of you smiled, keeping a slight distance from the rest of the group. Hwayoung has been with Seungwon for the longest time. They've passed the five year mark and were getting closer to their ten year mark. They were currently at eight years so that was exciting for them. They still acted like they were new lovers when around each other. That made things entertaining at times. At least they hadn't been caught by any nosy eunuchs or gossipy court ladies.

Honestly, you were thankful no one ever caught you and Namjoon. The two of you spent a lot of time in his chamber alone together. Not even a historian came in with you. Mainly because you were seen as a guard. You were his shadow there to protect him. They had nothing to record. You suppose that was lucky of you but even then you both were just friends. It's now where things have changed. Namjoon boldly flirts with you in the woods and makes his intentions clear. What if someone sees? It's like he wants to get caught.

It looked like you had joined Hwayoung on having your own boy troubles. She certainly had things under control. A lot more than you. Namjoon was more than a handful to deal with. He could be easier if you accepted his love or he could get worse. Imagining what could be worse though was proving to be difficult. You soon wanted to laugh at your own thoughts. Another connection was made between Hwayoung and you. The both of you loved a man you weren't supposed to. How fitting is that? The smile on your lips twitched, wanting to fall as you remembered the thought you constantly shoved to the back of your head. Namjoon gave Seungwon and her permission to marry. And she'll leave with Seungwon with or without the King's approval.

How are you supposed to live without your best friend? Your eyes switched over to Namjoon, your heart jumping. There was no reason to look at him. It's not going to happen! Clearing your throat, you told yourself not to get too sad. Things will be fine. You'll just put your everything into protecting Namjoon as his angel. That should be easy enough, right? Trying not to grit your teeth, you looked over at Hwayoung. She was here, protecting Namjoon and away from Seungwon. This was the longest they've been separated and she seemed to be doing well. How does she do that? You need to learn her ways.

"Do you...miss Seungwon?" You whispered. She looked at you in shock at first before immediately looking like she wanted to flick your forehead.

"How is that even a question?" Hwayoung scoffed. "Of course, I do. I think about him all the time...but I'll get to see him when we get back. So I'll be okay. Knowing he's waiting for me to return too gives me strength to keep going with this mission. Even with how poor things are turning out."

"I see. I think that's actually very admirable of you, Hwayoung." You brought your hands up into tiny determined fists. "Let's perform our duty as angels and then we'll get back to the palace before we know it!"

"That sounds good to me." Hwayoung raised one fist.

The two of you giggled lightly together. That was cut short when Heeyeon looked back at you guys. She instantly waved you both over, scolding you both for walking so slowly. All of you needed to be close to the King. Though you understood where she was coming from, Hyelin quickly called out Heeyeon for being busy with making jokes and laughing nonstop to focus on the King herself. The older was sputtering nonsense while Jeonghwa told Heeyeon to just give up. There was no point in trying to fight back. Hwayoung and you only glanced at each other once more with little smirks. The conversation the both of you had would remain between you two.

You were finally just glad you could smile and laugh without an ounce of it being forced. You were thankful towards Hwayoung. She helped you a great deal yet all her effort was thrown out the window the moment Solji and Hyojin finished discussing mountain plans. Namjoon was free to talk with whoever he wanted and walk next to whoever he wanted. The smile on your face was beginning to sink as Namjoon slowly made his way over to you. You're going to approximately deal with this for two more months. You just hope Namjoon has the decency to focus on Lady Eunchae rather than you when they get married. Preferably, you do not want to be the source of insecurity for the future Queen.

Namjoon had his arms around your shoulders as he talked. This man was testing your patience. Well, he had another thing coming because you're not going to fall for it! You don't care about how warm it feels to be next to him. Hearing him laugh or seeing his dimples did not make your stomach do flips! None of that was occurring with you so he better give up now. And no, you didn't feel lightheaded every time he whispered 'I love you' into your ear when the rest of the angels were preoccupied. No, you were handling all of this with the best of ease. Kim Namjoon may think he has you wrapped around his finger, but he couldn't be more wrong.

"I want to kiss you," Namjoon murmured.

"N-No." You squeaked, his arm slipping from your shoulder down to your waist. Is this man trying to kill you? Breathing rapidly, you wished the other angels would turn around. It would force him to pull away. Okay, maybe you don't have everything under control as much as you would like. To be fair though, Namjoon was being too brazen right now.

"You look so beautiful." Namjoon hummed.

"My King, I will call out to an angel." You warned. His eyes narrowed down at you as he pulled his face away from you. He used to have it so close, his nose practically touching your neck.

"You wouldn't dare."

"I would and I will." You pushed off his hand from your waist. Namjoon frowned down at you, but let you step away from him. He just took this as a sign to try harder next time. Sighing to yourself, you resisted the urge to bring a hand up to your face. Blood rushed up to your cheeks from all of his actions. He's going to kill you one of these days with one look alone. He was too much.

Namjoon can be a lot to handle, but at least he still respected your boundaries. He put his flirting to a halt once he noted how uncomfortable you were. You were incredibly stiff, red in the face, and embarrassed. It was best to leave you alone for some time. It's what you needed to recover from his constant persistence. Though Namjoon's eyes never left you. He watched you as always, keeping his hands behind his back as he tried to think of more ways to make you his already. He could tell he was breaking through a little bit already. He just needed to keep going. It wouldn't be long before he had you all to himself.

The idea alone left the King elated. He'll have you soon enough. Those 'no's will turn into 'yes's in no time. Namjoon smirked to himself, his eyes slowly traveling over to your closest friend. Hwayoung. She was walking silently behind Hyelin. He saw the two of you talking for a quick second when he was busy with the two oldest angels. In that short moment, he got a glimpse of you that he loved to see. Smiling and laughing. You didn't have the same brightness you used to have. It seemed to dim anytime you rejected him or the marriage was brought up. He wanted to see you happy again and seeing Hwayoung capable of making it happen made him want to thank her. So he would.

"We'll be stopping here for the night! Perform your tasks." Solji announced after hours of walking. Namjoon's legs were aching. He wasn't used to this at all while the rest of the angels walked off without problems. They all had muscles literally everywhere. Namjoon scoffed to himself, searching for a certain angel.

"Hwayoung, wait for me. I'll join you tonight." Namjoon raised his arm, waving towards the girl. She stopped in her tracks to look over at the King. Hwayoung didn't think much of it, bowing at him and welcoming him to join her on the task.

The only one who found it odd was you. Why was he going with Hwayoung tonight? You mentally prepared to deal with him tonight and now it's all for nothing! Pouting to yourself, you walked into the forest with more frustration than you intended. This should be something to celebrate. It's a break from the King! And yet you could feel yourself missing his intense presence. D*mn it. Kicking the ground, you tried not to think of Namjoon too much. He was talking to Hwayoung though. There must be a reason for it. What could it be? As you grabbed firewood, you paused in thought. Would he be discussing if she can leave with Seungwon or not? Maybe.

Hwayoung had no clear idea as to what the King would want to talk with her about. She was open to any conversation. Besides, she promised to be friendlier with Namjoon and be the best angel she can be for him. Whatever he wants to talk about, she will. The two walked over to a small body of water that they almost overlooked. Hwayoung crouched down, placing all the water pouches to her side as she filled them up one by one. Namjoon stayed behind her, sighing as he tried to think of a way to start a conversation with her. It would be weird to just come with her to talk about you. There was at least someone in common they knew.

"So Seungwon—"

"Ah!" Hwayoung almost dropped the pouch of water. "S-Sorry, continue."

"Oh, I have to tell Seungwon about this." Namjoon laughed as her cheeks turned pink. "He'd be happy to that know just his name gets you shy."

"He doesn't need to know any of that." Hwayoung shook her head.

"I figured since we're going to be gone longer than intended then I might as well give him some stories." Namjoon shrugged, enjoying the reactions Hwayoung gave him. She so badly wanted to swear at him but restrained. "What? I think it's only fair. I get to tell him three months' worth of stories that he gets to keep for the rest of his life."

"All Seungwon needs to know is that I love him." Hwayoung switched pouches.

"I'm sure he knows that full well by now." Namjoon smiled, remembering how giddy his best friend would be after spending time with his lover. The two smiled fondly, quiet for a few seconds. "Can I get some advice from you, Hwayoung?"

"Advice?" She capped one of the pouches. "I may not be as helpful as Seungwon, but I'll try my best."

"I think it's something you have equal experience in." Namjoon looked up at the setting sky. It was a stunning orange and pink to him with not a single cloud in sight. "What does it take to make a relationship live long? To keep it happy and full of love?"

His question took Hwayoung by surprise. When he said that she would have experience, she thought he was going to ask for fighting techniques. Something involved with defending himself just in case. She figured that would reasonable though he did say 'equal'. This took a turn she didn't expect, but she didn't mind. Hwayoung let the question stay in her head as she thought of an answer. She wanted to give the King the best answer she could. Namjoon waited patiently, walking closer to her so he could crouch next to her. He grabbed all the refilled pouches as she found her answer. Hwayoung sealed the last water pouch as she looked back at Namjoon.

"Patience, communication, and understanding." Hwayoung smiled. "They're all done in order and tie together well. I just know that whenever Seungwon and I had bumps, we never wanted to end it. We would do everything we could to stay together. Even if that required spending time alone to think things over and then eventually coming together to talk about it. We would speak our truth without trying to claim who was right or wrong. It's not a competition. We have to understand each other." Hwayoung stood up with Namjoon. "Love is built on effort and trust. It won't magically appear or stay stable even if Fate has the two of you together. Do you see what I'm saying?"

"...I do." Namjoon nodded.

"I'm not as good with my words as Seungwon, but I made a genuine attempt." Hwayoung shrugged.

"No, believe me, you helped. I'm grateful. Thank you." Namjoon was already thinking things over in his head. That put a lot of things into perspective. He couldn't get too lost in his emotions. He just needs to talk to you and get you to say your truth rather than you hiding it any longer. He was getting tired of you using your title as an excuse to not be a human with thoughts and feelings.

"I'm glad. I know for certain that you will have a happy marriage with Lady Eunchae and you'll unite as one," Hwayoung said obliviously. Namjoon almost wanted to laugh, smiling at his shadow.

"Thank you."


	24. Embrace

Ch.23

_When Hwayoung said she wanted to go to the Crown Prince's chamber, you thought she was just eager to perform her job as an angel. You believed she wanted to be an amazing shadow for the Crown Prince. It was something that the other angels were believing as well. Solji even praised Hwayoung for wanting to get her work done. She woke up early, dressed fast, and was ready to head out while you were struggling to put on your armor. You thought it was very admirable of Hwayoung to see her passionately performing her Fate. But you were wrong. So were the rest of the angels who fell for the trick._

_Hwayoung and you were fifteen. The two of you were always together, training or learning the same lessons with one another. Despite that, the two of you still had very different lives. While you were happy to feed the fishes in the pond, Hwayoung had a lover. You liked taking walks around the palace and humming tunes from your childhood. Hwayoung experienced her first kiss and received a present from Seungwon. There was a clear difference and you'd be lying if you said you weren't the slightest bit jealous. Why wasn't there a handsome young man working at the palace for you too? They were all old and frustrating to talk to. It wasn't fair._

_Then seeing as Hwayoung and Seungwon were always looking for excuses to be together, she even used the Crown Prince as a reason. If she's in his chamber then she gets to be as private as she wants with Seungwon in broad daylight. There were no other servants or guards in the room. Namjoon would usually have them all outside the minute his angels arrived or even just Seungwon. Still, you genuinely thought she wanted to be the best angel for the Crown Prince. She's a great fighter and will protect him if the situation calls for it, but as of right now...hugging Seungwon wasn't necessarily saving the nation._

_You stood awkwardly near the front doors. There was nothing in particular for you to do. All you're assigned to do is stand in his chamber and protect the Crown Prince at the first sign of trouble. Instead you had to witness Seungwon giving Hwayoung forehead kisses. Sighing to yourself, you tried to ignore how jealous you were. Not a single cute boy your age is in this palace giving you forehead kisses. Crossing your arms, you figured you might as well just do your job. If you have to! Your eyes slowly traveled over to the Crown Prince who sat behind a table, drinking tea._

_Namjoon was fifteen just like you and Hwayoung. Seungwon was the oldest one in the room at seventeen. As you watched Namjoon, you wondered if he was at all bothered by his best friend's actions. Those two were getting distracted but as long as they didn't bother him then Namjoon tolerated just about anything. His hatred of servants seemed to grow every passing year. The less people he had around him, the better. That was something he constantly fought about with his mother. The Queen wished he would just listen to her. He just didn't want them for some reason._

_"You're so pretty." Seungwon smiled as she blushed._

_"And you're handsome." Hwayoung giggled._

_"No one's calling me pretty," You muttered. This actually bothered you a lot. Maybe you did want some passionate romance. Something that would just last for the summer. It didn't even have to be a long term thing like Hwayoung's relationship! It would be nice if a boy from a noble family was suddenly introduced and stuck around the palace. He would be attracted to you instantly and ask you to meet at midnight. With some convincing, you would go and then the two of you would share a kiss! You whined at the thought. Why couldn't that be true? You made a bitter expression, glaring at nothing in particular until you noticed you were making this face at the Crown Prince. Your angry eyes connected with his, causing him to raise a brow at you._

_Oh no._

_Your entire face turned pink to have been caught in a misunderstanding like that. Shaking your head, you panicked in front of the Crown Prince's eyes. You kept squirming until you told yourself to properly apologize for being so careless. This is the Crown Prince you're talking about. You can't just pretend it was nothing. Dragging your feet over him, you didn't bother looking over at the couple. They were so madly in love that they didn't notice anyone else was in the room with them. You highly doubted they even knew where they were. Biting your lip, you bowed deeply for the Crown Prince. He only watched you silently as you took in a breath._

_"I didn't mean to give you such a look, Crown Prince. I apologize for letting you see that expression," You said._

_"A bit odd you would have it in the first place." Namjoon lowered his cup onto the table. He titled his head at you, waiting for you to say something else._

_"Well, it's just...Hwayoung and the young master..." You pointed at them subtly. What were those two even doing? Namjoon only looked at them for a second before scoffing._

_"Now it makes sense. The sight is..." Namjoon shook his head. "You're forgiven."_

_"Thank you." You raised your upper body._

_"Sit down with me." Namjoon pursed his lips. You were taken aback at first from his sudden request. It didn't feel natural leaving his lips. He wants you to sit with him? You were stunned at his gesture as you sat across from him. "Refill my cup," He demanded coldly._

_There it was. That's what you expected from him. The only reason the Crown Prince would have you sitting so close to him and invite you himself was so you could do something for him. Nodding your head, you grabbed the pot carefully. You don't know why you felt so nervous with having his gaze on you. Namjoon watched your hands, eyes narrowing to see your hands shake as you poured the tea. Why was he looking so upset? You were genuinely trying your best. Suddenly, the lid almost slipped off the put. Mainly because you weren't holding onto it. Hurriedly slamming the pot back on the table, you tried to act natural but that was hard for various reasons._

_"What was that?" Namjoon peered at the cup you just poured him. It was close to overfilling too. You winced, pretending your fingers weren't wet from the tea. "Don't you know how to pour tea?"_

_"Yes, I learned in my etiquette class." You frowned._

_"Were you asleep when they taught it?" Namjoon huffed. You wanted to gasp at how rude he was being. A blush spread across your cheeks from how embarrassing it was to hear this from him._

_"No, I wasn't! I'm just not the best at learning in that class." You shifted uncomfortably in your seat. That class usually consists of teaching you and the rest of the angels on how to behave as women. They've explained sitting, talking, walking, cooking, and all kinds of things that would make all of you excellent wives. None of the angels really took it seriously since you all would rather carry a sword and fight. Heeyeon was usually getting scolded by the teacher and you were second. It just couldn't be helped! "I did pour you tea though, Crown Prince."_

_"Barely." Namjoon lifted the cup up. You felt like screaming at something. Today just wasn't your day. He drank his tea quietly while you looked back at the lovers. Now they were kissing. Great. Turning back to face Namjoon, you tried not to look took grumpy this time around. He was doing a better job at ignoring them. All he cared about was his tea._

_That left you with nothing to do. Well, besides pouring the Crown Prince another cup of tea for when he asked for it. Unless he wants to pour it himself. You highly doubt that though. Namjoon may have critiqued your skills harshly, but you know for certain he wasn't any better. He can be quite clumsy himself. He probably would have broken the entire pot and made a mess. Though you wanted to laugh at the thought, you also knew that he would force you to clean it up. Seungwon and Hwayoung are too busy locking lips. It seriously made you wonder though on how it felt like. When will you get your first kiss?_

_Pouting to yourself, you looked at Namjoon as he quietly read and set his cup down. He looked a lot more cute when he wasn't being mean. Now that you think about it, Namjoon is your age. What if you and Namjoon ever become...no. That's nonsense. You shook your head at the idea that appeared in your head. The Crown Prince is going to marry someone else in the future. Someone of pure blood and you'd rather not get yourself involved with anyone royal. Namjoon may be handsome as he's slowly growing into a man, but there was just one thing you couldn't look over. He was too mean. The two of you would never become a thing. So much for that idea._

_"Can I trust you to pour me another cup?" Namjoon raised a brow. He looked up from his book, giving you a slight smile._

_"Of course!" You straightened your posture. "Hey Hwayoung, is this how you hold a teapot?"_

_"Figure it out yourself." Hwayoung waved you off, lost with Seungwon._

_"I tried." You whined as Namjoon chuckled. He watched you try again and it was better this time around. You were still panicking, but it was alright. Tea was inside his cup and nothing was broken. Namjoon nodded at your success._

_"Is there a reason why you can hardly pour a cup? Shouldn't this be a basic skill for a woman?" Namjoon brought the cup up to his lips. Sighing, you puffed up your cheeks and struggled to say anything back to him. It wasn't even just a wife thing. It was simple! Pouring a cup of tea! You had nothing to defend yourself with and it's not like you could anyway. What could you say to the Crown Prince?_

_"I'm just not good at the traditonal lessons they teach us." You frowned in disappointment. It would be nice if you were. There were some things that caught your interest. Sewing and cooking could be extremely helpful yet you could never really get either right. "I'm better when they train us to fight. You know, I'm extremely good at shooting an arrow while riding a horse!"_

_"How's your reading? Writing?" He asked._

_"I'm okay at that, I guess. A bit slow with both if I'm being honest. Neither really catch my attention," You stated. Reading and writing was where Heeyeon beat you. Most of the lessons they try to teach you aren't interesting unless it's hands on. "But I'm quick on my feet! I can throw a man twice my weight over my back too!"_

_"So you're all brawn?" Namjoon sipped his tea._

_"Brawn?" You scoffed._

_"Brawn means—"_

_"I know what it means." You crossed your arms before realizing what you did. You interrupted the Crown Prince. Namjoon set down his cup, looking irritated from the conversation. Swallowing hard, you wanted to scream at yourself. Why did you speak without thinking? Namjoon's frustration only grew when he looked over at the couple. They were still doing whatever they wanted. You couldn't see Namjoon's face anymore. You were too busy looking at your lap from embarrassment. "I-I apologize—"_

_"We're going on a walk. All of us." Namjoon stood up. He spoke sternly in a voice you've never heard him use. You were on your feet right away as Hwayoung and Seungwon were finally breaking out of their little bubble. They finally separated as Namjoon walked over to the front doors with his hands behind his back._

_Seungwon rushed to stand next to the Crown Prince, announcing to the servants outside that the Prince wanted to leave. The large doors opened, every single servant bowing as Namjoon walked out with the three of you. He was leading the way to a familiar location. The old pond near his chamber that he liked to use for peace and solitude. Though recently it felt like another place for Hwayoung and Seungwon to hide at. Why this place? You didn't think this would help the problem of stopping the lovers. Hwayoung walked next to you with Namjoon walking in front. By his side was Seungwon who would occasionally glance back at Hwayoung._

_Could those two not live without each other? Shoving Hwayoung behind you, she furrowed her brows at your actions. You made sure you were extremely close to Seungwon's back for when he turned around. When he did, he automatically froze to see your glaring eyes instead of Hwayoung. He cleared his throat and kept walking with the Crown Prince. Good! Crossing your arms, you looked over at Hwayoung. She only sighed since she knew where you were coming from. She was getting too distracted by this boy! You kept shaking your head until the four of you made it in front of the old pond. Namjoon began walking over the bridge, pausing halfway._

_"Seungwon, will you come with my privately?" Namjoon asked._

_"Are you sure, Prince Namjoon? Don't you want the angels close by?" Seungwon questioned, receiving a sharp glare from the Crown Prince. "I understand."_

_Namjoon scoffed as the two crossed the bridge together. Finally there was separation between Hwayoung and Seungwon. The angel next to you looked fine. She stood by your side while keeping her eyes on both males. Her eyes would sometimes look around just like yours in order to make sure the area was clear. While the two of you did your job easily, Seungwon was struggling. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the grumpy Prince. He'd rather be with his lover. Seungwon sighed heavily as he looked at Namjoon, waiting for the male to start speaking. What was so serious that they had to leave to speak privately? Namjoon looked up at Seungwon in annoyance, wanting to scoff all over again._

_"What is wrong with you? Why are you so focused on a girl?" Namjoon rolled his eyes. "She's my shadow. Leave my angels alone."_

_"If I had ill intentions then I would have left her alone a long time ago," Seungwon remarked. Namjoon clenched his jaw, not knowing what else to say. He wished Seungwon would have cowered, apologizing on repeat yet Namjoon should have known better. His friend would stand up for himself even if it annoyed him. Seungwon bent down to grab a small smooth rock from the ground, looking it over in his hand. "We wouldn't have been together for this long."_

_"Right, love at first sight." Namjoon wanted to laugh._

_"Even that wouldn't have been enough to carry us this long." Seungwon shook his head. Namjoon became quiet again, watching his Royal Advisor quietly. "The attraction was there but to have what we have involves work. Love needs to be nurtured and cared for like a plant, Crown Prince." Seungwon threw the rock at the water quickly. Namjoon flinched, expecting the rock to sink and splash. Instead his eyes grew to see it skip over the water before inevitably sinking in front of Hwayoung who stood on the opposite side with you. Hwayoung smiled while you finally smiled for her. Seungwon faced Namjoon with a serious expression. "Take this advice from me. You'll need it eventually."_

_Nothing left Namjoon's lips anymore. He felt embarrassed, but he didn't want to say anything. Namjoon knew right away that Seungwon was better with his words than him. That wasn't even a contest at the moment. Namjoon was speaking emotionally while Seungwon spoke logically with a hint of bitterness. That was still enough to make Namjoon seal his lips. He looked at his friend before looking over at Hwayoung. She appeared in a bright mood just like you. He sighed softly to himself as he saw you smiling for the couple, the jealousy beginning to fade away. Hwayoung and Seungwon are going to be connected no matter what._

*~*

You did not get distracted the first time. There just isn't that much firewood around this area! The wood around here was damp, too thin, and won't last the night. That's actually the entire reason you were sent out to get more firewood. The angels were able to cook the food, but it was practically dying now. How was it supposed to keep eight people warm through the entire night? There was no shelter or blankets for any of you. Solji sent you off to get more since you couldn't do the job right the first time around. She didn't say that, but you certainly felt frustrated with yourself. You kept scolding yourself and huffing in annoyance.

Somehow you got too wrapped up in your own thoughts the first time. You didn't put much effort in searching for firewood. Rather than performing your task well, you grumbled under your breath and tried to justify your feelings. You were talking to yourself and making excuses on why you were thinking about Namjoon when he went off with Hwayoung. It was a break from him so you were meant to enjoy it yet you were feeling jealous. Jealous over your friend who has her own lover and would never be interested in the King. She would never even let the idea enter her head compared to you. How badly you wished to be with the King. You were a complete disaster.

Then there was also the fact that searching in the dark was not fun. You could barely see anything under the moonlight. Only a few sticks of decent firewood were found. There was nothing good around the area and you weren't sure if going further out was such a good idea. Not when the sun was down with no other angel by your side. You're actually surprised none of the other angels volunteered to come with you. Well, you can take care of yourself. That's probably why. Just as you were looking for scraps of wood, you heard footsteps. They weren't light. They were untrained in stealth even if they were attempting to be quiet. Their pace didn't match any of the angels but of someone else. Sighing heavily, you turned to see Namjoon grinning at you.

"Did you know it was me?" He tilted his head.

"You made it obvious." You stood up with the few sticks you found. Namjoon walked closer to you, more than was comfortable.

"Are you okay? You look a little upset." Namjoon brought his hand up to your face. Your cheeks were dusted pink as he did this. You shouldn't have let him, but you were feeling needy. Something to make you feel better from being jealous.

"I'm not." You let your face rest into his warm hand.

"You are." Namjoon gave you a small smile. "Tell me. I'd like to help you."

"It's nothing. It's foolish of me..." You said, but he didn't seem too convinced. Namjoon wanted to hear it no matter how it sounded to you. You hated how willing he was to do things for you, but you hated how badly you enjoyed it more. It made you an awful person. Shutting him out and then accepting him whenever convenient. You're not this type of person. Somehow rejecting and avoiding Namjoon was preventing you from being your true self. Biting your lip, you sighed softly as you admitted your worries. "What were Hwayoung and you talking about? You didn't follow me when I was getting firewood. Was it something serious?"

"Personal." Namjoon shrugged as he chuckled to see you pout. "Were you jealous, my Queen?"

"I was not and you shouldn't call me that!" You finally removed his hand from your face. Puffing your cheeks, you were ready to walk away until he embraced your from behind. His arms were wrapped around your waist, holding you tightly. You became stiff under his touch. You could escape from his grip if you really wanted to. _If you wanted to_. Namjoon rested his chin on top of your head as he held you. "W-What are you doing?"

"Enjoying the love you feel for me. I know it's there." Namjoon held you tighter, taking in a breath to appreciate the moment. "I love you, (F/n), and I know you'll say it back to me soon enough." His words made your chest ache again. He was so certain as you felt yourself slowly crumbling. Why couldn't he just leave you alone? The two of you couldn't happen. Not even for a second.

"What if I don't?" You frowned.

"You will." Namjoon swayed with you in his arms. "I believe in us, (F/n). And I don't believe in many things." You turned your head to face the man. "I think this is the one time I'll trust Fate. I know for certain that we're meant to be. Nothing can change my mind." Namjoon snuggled his head against your neck as the two of you looked up at the full moon and dark sky full of stars. "So just let me hold you a little longer."


	25. Fated

Ch.24

He was making it impossible. It's getting harder and harder to deny him. There were so many reasons for the two of you not to be together and yet you found yourself wanting to ignore them these days. What are you going to do? Namjoon was breaking you down a lot faster than you thought he would have. You had hoped to survive the entire journey. By then you would have moved on from him and you would have been fine. That clearly was not happening. The only thing occurring was you falling deeper for the King. You don't know why you felt such an intense pull to him. It was causing you to let things slide which only dug you into deeper holes.

You didn't have the energy these days to tell Namjoon no. You stopped shoving him away when he hugged you. It was becoming a problem. The two of you would be separated from the others which instantly let him take it as an invitation to be affectionate with you. That had to stop. Instead of putting your foot down with Namjoon, you've only allowed him to gain more power over you. It felt like he had you under some sort of spell. You enjoyed being in his arms. He would go on little tangents about making you his Queen and you didn't say anything. There was no telling him to stop or even a shush from you.

All your actions were doing was giving Namjoon permission. Next thing you know, he'll start trying to convince the angels that you're his Queen. He may not actually be that reckless, but you couldn't be certain. You've been allowing a lot of things to slip by. That's why you're going to be better today. Unlike the past few weeks, you're going to pretend Namjoon doesn't exist unless he gives you a royal command. You'll listen to him if he wants to talk about the weather, but you'll also shut him down if he tries to say he loves you or call you his Queen. You're going to be colder than you were before. It's only necessary since you guys were nearing the mountain.

Solji estimated that you guys would arrive at the mountain in about a week. The plan was to not go through the narrow roads like her and Heeyeon originally intended. That would only be dangerous and foolish at this point. The new plan was to go through each mountain village to get to Lady Eunchae. That way you guys will get shelter and food. Some villages were closer than others, but this plan was better than the first one. It was hard to believe so much time had passed and even then you guys were nowhere near Lady Eunchae. Hopefully no one from the palace back home or the Lady's family are upset or worried. You're sure they'll understand once Namjoon explains they're late arrival is due to robbers.

D*mn robbers. They're the entire reason Namjoon is even putting an effort into you. Things would have been fine if you kept Happy, the carriage, and the wagon full of goods. Now none of that was with you. Everyone was forced to spend more time together than intended. At least Namjoon is friends with the rest of the angels. That occasionally backfires on you though like now. He's busy rambling on about nonsense while the rest of the angels led the way. It wouldn't have been as bad if he didn't have his arm around your shoulders, pulling you close to him.

"Don't you think so?" Namjoon's grip on you tightened. He was making you lose your temper at this rate. "Yeon (F/n)? Are you listening?"

"I'm listening. I just don't have an opinion," You said with a stoic expression. Grabbing his hand, you pried him off without hurting him. He's lucky he's King and he didn't have his hand somewhere else.

Namjoon watched his hand fall from your body. That was the first time you denied one of his advances in a while. Not to mention, you were acting a lot colder than you ever really are. Your naturally bright personality was being hidden under that stoic expression. Namjoon would be lying if he said he wasn't hurt. So much of his work appeared to be disappearing right before him. He could have sworn that you were getting comfortable with his touch. You were embracing his presence and slowly acting like his lover without realizing it but not anymore. A frown grew on his face as he stared down at your form.

The advice from Hwayoung lingered in Namjoon's head. He was being patient in the sense that he was letting you accept him at your own pace. It was working in his opinion. He really thought he was seeing progress with you. Suddenly you were pulling away from him, erasing the bond the two of you truly had. Why? It irked him to say the least. Another part of Hwayoung's advice was communication. He needed to talk to you and find out why you were acting like this. Originally, he wanted to know why you were so adamant about saying no to him. He was close getting you to open up and now he wasn't anywhere near that. This wouldn't do. He had to do something about this.

"Angel Solji, do you hear a river nearby?" Namjoon raised his voice. Keeping a still face, you wanted to furrow your brows at his question. What exactly could he be planning? The rest of the angels stopped walking as the eldest listened quietly to the sounds around her.

"It should be west of us." Solji glanced down at her compass.

"I'm feeling a bit unclean. All I want is to wash my face." Namjoon brought a hand up to his cheek. "I'll be quick."

"Of course, my King." Solji bowed her head.

"I'll take Angel (F/n) with me." Namjoon smiled. "The rest of you don't mind searching for berries or other fruits, right?"

"We'll prepare the food for the journey." Hyojin nodded.

"Go wash up." Jeonghwa joined in.

"We'll be ready when you are." Hyelin agreed.

It was easier than it should have been. Pursing your lips tightly, you begrudgingly followed Namjoon before leading the way to the river. You could hear it, but you also focused on the terrain around you. Where the plants were healthier and more prominent as well as where the soil was darker. It didn't take you long at all to find it. Namjoon grinned as he walked over to it. He rolled up his sleeves as he crouched near the bed of water. You made sure to go near him just in case. The King could be quite clumsy so the last thing you want is him drenched in water. He'll be freezing if he only has wet clothes. You're just trying to be helpful.

You stood by his side as Namjoon washed his face. He cupped water in his hands, splashing it into his face. You were a bit surprised he was actually following through with what he said. Was this not a way to get you alone like you thought? Normally court ladies would always bring a bowl of water and a dry cloth to the King in the morning when he woke up. He's only following his past routine. You could only imagine how much he probably missed the comfort of the palace. You were already missing the quarters. It was small, but it was home. It was warm. Walking for weeks with trees was slowly getting to you. You were missing life back in the capital.

"Do you want to wash your face as well?" Namjoon flicked the water of his hands, trying to dry them.

"No, I'm good. Thank you." You bowed to him.

"You're free to call me Namjoon right now. We're alone." Namjoon put his hands on his knees as he stood up. He turned to you with a serious expression. It wasn't flirtatious or playful at all.

"Are you ready to go back...Namjoon?" You kept your distance with him. He had his hands behind his back as he looked at the nature around him.

"Not yet," He said. "I actually wanted to talk with you and I want to hear the truth." He finally revealed his true motive. You thought he would have taken a different approach, but this made it easier. He wasn't making you feel warm with kind words or anything like that. He was being up front like you needed him to be.

"Truth about what?" You crossed your arms.

"The sudden change in behavior." Namjoon frowned. "We were close, (F/n). Before I admitted my feelings. I don't like you acting so cold towards me."

"I'm doing this so you don't get hurt." You sighed.

"Then you're too late." Namjoon shook his head. "You're already hurting me. You have been since you've been telling me no which I still don't understand. I know you feel the same!"

"...I don't," You lied. Namjoon froze at your words, his face dropping completely. It looked like you had broken something inside him. He slowly began to shake his head as he marched up to you. Grabbing you by your shoulders, he was staring at you in disbelief.

"I don't believe you," Namjoon spoke in a low voice. Bringing your hands onto his, you instantly removed them with a lot of force. He didn't want to let you go but you were strong enough to push him away. He was stubborn. He wouldn't believe you didn't feel the same, but your actions hurt him no less. "Yeon (F/n), please. Let's talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about." You sighed as you walked away from him. "We should return to the rest. They should have your berries and we can continue the journey as normal."

"If we are Fated, (F/n)...if we are then you can't stop us from happening. And even if we weren't, this isn't something to brush aside. My feelings aren't dust," Namjoon stated firmly. "It's important to talk about this honestly. You can't keep using excuses in order to protect yourself. You're saving no one's feelings, (F/n). We're both getting hurt." Namjoon called out with your back facing him. "But fine. Ignore me for a little longer." Namjoon walked past you as you felt your entire body prickle with embarrassment. "See how well that works out for you."

Looking down at the ground, you couldn't deny the tightening feeling inside your chest. His words hurt more than you wanted them to. It's only because they were true too. You wished you could wave them off as nonsense. You couldn't even pretend anymore. He knew exactly what you were doing and pointed out the flaws with your actions. What were you even doing? Intense feelings like this are something you have no experience with. You were only doing what you thought was best for the two of you. Namjoon is King and you're his angel. You're meant to protect him and nothing else. That's how it's always been. That's how it was supposed to be.

Swallowing hard, you caught up with Namjoon to join the other angels. They handed out food, but you weren't hungry. Nothing looked appetizing at the moment. Namjoon left you lost in your thoughts as Solji continued to lead the way. He only said a few sentences that struck harder than you wanted them to. Your eyes had stung at first from how truthful he was being, but you couldn't let yourself cry. You were still trying to believe what you were doing was right. You wanted to believe you had good reasons for your actions too and they weren't all for nothing. Yet all your reasons were feeling meaningless.

Why can't you be truthful with Namjoon? Your throat tightened as you tried to sort out your feelings. It was too scary if you admitted it to him. He knew already, but you were terrified of what it would lead to. This entire mission was meant to bring Namjoon to Lady Eunchae, his future Queen. He's reminded of that daily so he can't have forgotten. What were the two of you supposed to do about that? You can't just turn around with him and the rest of the angels. Speaking of them, what would they have to say? That was another heavy worry on your shoulders.

You were completely tense though you felt delicate at the same time. Your emotions were scattered all over the place, hidden by a thin layer of the stoic face you were trained to keep. When Solji announced that everyone would be resting, you didn't know whether to rejoice or let this anxiousness consume you completely. Firewood. Try to focus on the firewood. You felt your heart pounding as you walked away, hearing Namjoon trailing behind you as always. You wanted him to just leave you alone. Biting your lip, you started creating a small pile to take back. He watched you for a few minutes before he grabbed your wrist and forced you to look at him.

"I'm sorry if I was too cold earlier. You look so sad right now..." Namjoon held you gently, tugging you into a hug. "I just want to talk because I love you. I love you so much—"

"Stop. Please stop...I'm begging you...please." You closed your eyes, shaking in his arms. Namjoon furrowed his brows instantly. He pulled away at the tone of your voice, seeing tears build up in your eyes. "I don't want to hear it."

"(F/n)."

"It's painful enough rejecting you." You allowed a tear to slip. "It is pure torture having you in front of me every second, never leaving my side, and then telling me you love me like this..." You brought your hand up to your mouth, your shoulders shuddering as you sobbed. "I-I'm sorry for making you feel awful by saying no, but you know it hurts me too. Seeing you every day and k-knowing I can't have you even if I want you. You're meant to marry someone else, Namjoon." They were salty and warm, blurring a bit of your vision. "I can't be your Queen, Namjoon."

"But you can be. It is possible." Namjoon attempted to reach towards you again, only for you to step away from him. You couldn't handle being touched by him right now. The male stared at you hopelessly, desperate to pull you close. "(F/n), it's not impossible."

"It is! No one would support this relationship." You shook your head. "I t-tell you to give up because it will kill me to only have you for a few weeks only for you to end up with another woman. I will be destroyed to hear when she bares your child and I will be bitter towards the poor child who doesn't deserve to be hated. I-I'm being selfish and you shouldn't ever allow me to be that way."

"I can't even imagine being with another woman nor would I want to!" Namjoon carefully held his hands out towards you, his frown growing every time you took a step backwards.

"I should have never felt this way. I-I feel so guilty and ashamed that I fell for the King I'm meant to protect." You cried as Namjoon paused. "This was never meant to happen. It's bigger than a mistake. I committed a crime worthy of death the second I found myself in love with you...I do, Namjoon. I do love you more than anything but it's not right. A-And you shouldn't allow it." You grabbed onto your belt, unsheathing your sword. Namjoon's eyes widened as you dropped onto your knees, holding the sword up to him. "Punish me and set me free from my misery..."

"(F/n)..." Namjoon grabbed the sword. He stared at it in shock as multiple emotions rushed through his body. You admitted that you loved him. You said those words he always wanted to hear yet you were also giving him the sight he never wished to see. Your head was down as you awaited your punishment. Namjoon shook his head, throwing your sword to the side as he went down on his knees with you. He lifted your head up as he pressed his lips against yours.

A muffled sound left you in surprise. You had expected to feel a sharp pain and numbness. Maybe you would have felt nothing at all with your world turning black. Instead you had the King kissing you. The salty taste from your tears were mingled into the kiss, but that didn't make Namjoon stop. Your eyes slowly fluttered shut as you kissed back. His lips were so plump, making you feel tingles and butterflies in your stomach. You couldn't believe this moment was happening. His hands held you firmly, not wanting you to slip away or have this be a dream. You were feeling the same as you finally allowed your body to relax. This is what you wanted. Melting under his touch, you felt left in a daze when he pulled away to stare at your face. He wiped away your tears, smiling softly at you.

"I feel at ease with my heart to you bare. I would have never imagined us like this. Our kiss leaving me feeling light as air. Every fleeting second with you is bliss." You caressed the side of his face.

"I finally get to have you as mine. You are the only Queen in my eyes. My love for you can build a gleaming shrine. Having you by me is now my greatest highs." Namjoon placed his hand on top of yours.

"Do you promise to love and cherish me?" You bit your lip.

"I promise it all and much more for thee." Namjoon leaned to peck your lips.

Your heart was swelling from his affection. Though you felt like you weren't worthy, you did notice a change. This felt right to you. His lips against yours and his adoring gaze. There was something about it that felt familiar. It left you calm despite the danger you might encounter by becoming his lover. It all felt so right that you didn't know how it could be wrong anymore. You felt happy and warm to be like this with him. Namjoon was feeling the same, relieved that you were no longer running from any of his flirts. Now he had you in his arms and he could kiss you as much as he pleased. You giggled softly as he peppered your face full of loving kisses. He smiled fondly at you, his dimples deep in his cheeks.

"I love you," Namjoon spoke quietly.

"I love you too," You replied softly as your heart pounded harshly inside you. You're lovers with the King.


	26. Better Left Unsaid

Ch.25

He broke down your walls and was successful in getting you to admit your true feelings to him. You said those three words just like he wanted. You failed in keeping your promise, entering a dangerous realm now and yet you held no regrets. The moment Namjoon kissed you, you were lost in pure love and happiness. This is the first time you're ever experiencing anything that Hwayoung ever did. You always got to see her being in love with Seungwon and hear about their relationship progress. It left you wanting exactly what she had. Now you had it with Namjoon, the two of you unable to quit smiling. The two of you were just over the moon from last night. Just like Hwayoung with Seungwon.

*~*

_"Where is Chang Hwayoung?" Hyojin questioned impatiently. It was nighttime and all the angels were meant to rest. A few them were already sleeping in their beds while you and Hyelin were still up. Solji was currently with the Queen so all of you knew she would be a while._

_Hyojin repeated her question with a sterner tone. She had her hands on her hips, eyes switching between Hyelin and you. Hyelin gulped, wishing she had fallen asleep earlier and you were having the same thoughts. A sigh left the second eldest before she faced you with a more gentle gaze. It wasn't nearly as intimidating as the first look she gave the two of you. Unnie calmly walked over to you while Hyelin was burying herself under her blankets. She was already pretending to be asleep which you knew was a lie. How could she leave you like this!? Biting your lip, you looked at Hyojin innocently since you genuinely didn't know where Hwayoung was. All she said was that she would be with someone and that obviously meant Seungwon. You promised Hwayoung though to never mention Seungwon to the angels or that she was ever with him at any time._

_"Yeon (F/n). My sweet girl...where is she?" Hyojin smiled._

_"I don't know." You shook your head uncomfortably. Hyojin's eyes twitched, but it's not like she could pressure a thirteen year old._

_"How about this? You're closest to Hwayoung so go out and find her." Hyojin pulled you up onto your feet. "You know all the spots she's most likely to be at."_

_"B-But Unnie, I'm wearing a thin sokgot." You pouted. Hyojin pursed her lips as she looked you over. You were still covered without much skin showing which caused her to shrug._

_"The faster you find her, the faster you get to come back." Hyojin patted you towards the door. Frowning, you looked over at Hyelin who was giving you a supportive look before faking her sleep. Liar!_

_Sighing as you were kicked out of the angel's quarters, you figured you might as well find Hwayoung. Knowing her and Seungwon, you knew she had to be at the old pond. That was near the Crown Prince's chamber. That's where they got to have most of their private moments. That girl. You shook your head as you waddled over in the direction of the old pond. How does that girl even have time to have a lover? You still couldn't understand why she grew an interest in boys in the first place. They're a bit weird if you're being honest. You prefer playing games, but Hwayoung would rather be with Seungwon. At least Jeonghwa still liked playing games. Hopefully she doesn't get a lover too or else you'll have no one to play with._

_Careful with your steps, you walked in the dim lighting of the palace. Many lanterns were lit up, but not enough to keep the place bright as day. You weren't given a lantern by Hyojin unnie and it was best if you didn't carry one. You didn't want to reveal something you shouldn't to nosy court ladies and eunuchs. Those servants really have nothing to do but gossip it feels like. Walking past bushes, your thoughts were proved exactly correct. Hwayoung was with Seungwon at the old pond. They were standing five feet apart when you noticed someone else with them. Narrowing your eyes as you got closer, you realized it was the Crown Prince. Namjoon rubbed his eyes tiredly, pleading for his friend to come with him already. That's when you appeared on the bridge behind Hwayoung as well._

_"Hwayoung! Come on, you've been out long enough." You huffed as Hwayoung took a step back._

_"Exactly. Seungwon-a!" Namjoon stomped his foot._

_"Yes, yes, Prince Namjoon." Seungwon smiled at Hwayoung. "I'll see you tomorrow...goodnight, Flower."_

_"Goodnight, Seungwon." Hwayoung bowed her head, the blush on her face growing darker. Finally!_

_The couple was separated as you grabbed Hwayoung's hand, tugging her away from the old pond. The girl looked as if she had been put under a spell. Her eyes were in a daze as she giggled at nothing. What's wrong with her? Stopping underneath a lantern, you looked Hwayoung over to make sure she was okay. She looked to be the exact same. There was no real difference aside from the fact that she was wearing light makeup. Wait, makeup? Slapping your hands on her face, you looked her over intensely and gasped. She powdered her face and even used rouge for her lips and blush! Where did she even find the paints and tools for this kind of stuff?_

_"Can you get your hands off my face?" Hwayoung shoved your hands off, the spell seeming to have lift off. "Yes, I'm wearing a bit of rouge."_

_"But why?" You raised a brow. Hwayoung slowly began to smile again, leaning close to whisper into your ear. She cupped her hands as she admitted that Seungwon kissed her tonight. Their one month anniversary had gone magical according to her. She had her first kiss? "Seriously?"_

_"Yes!!" Hwayoung squealed, bouncing around. Something about it made you squeal too. It was so exciting! The both of you were jumping around until a young court lady crossed your path. Instantly, you both became quiet to stare at the girl. She was only two years older than the two of you, a lady in training to assist the Queen and become a part of her royal court in the future. There was nothing special about that in your opinion, but she always had a stuck up attitude about it. Not to mention, she would occasionally flirt with Seungwon, not knowing he was off limits. The both of you hated her. Now she was glaring at the two of you for making so much noise. Being guardian angels is so much better. Cooler too._

_"The royal family is trying to sleep," She said like the little snot she was. You rolled your eyes while Hwayoung stared at her with no visible expression. That's when the training lady noticed Hwayoung's appearance. She blinked a few times before scoffing. "Makeup? Why in the world are you wearing that?"_

_"No, I'm not." Hwayoung brought her sleeve up to her face, trying to wipe the makeup off. It wasn't really working since these paints were like dye. Oh no. You didn't like the way you friend was getting crowded on by this one girl. Who does she think she is?_

_"The only reason someone like you could ever be wearing makeup was if you were some old man's concu—"_

_"Snot!" You grabbed her arm, twisting it and hooking your hip under hers. Next thing you know, she was on the ground and you were fighting the court lady while Hwayoung kept watch and tried to get rid of her makeup._

*~*

You remember when Hwayoung gushed to you about her first kiss. Seungwon took her privately to the old pond, kissing her after their one month anniversary. She was shaking and couldn't stop grinning at you. She was squealing, ready to jump all over the walls. You were so stunned and intrigued to hear every detail. It made you want to experience your own first kiss. Hwayoung was living an exciting life in your eyes. Well, now you feel like you're the one who is truly living the dream. Namjoon and you shared a sweet kiss under the moonlight in the woods. Just thinking about it made your heart react wildly.

The memory was still fresh in your head. You could still describe everything from last night. Just from how the air felt, how your thoughts were jumbling up in your head before disappearing. The way it felt to be touching the King, his arms wrapped around you. His charming smile that only caused you to sigh dreamily and fall deeper in love with him. Namjoon is an intelligent man who is thoughtful and puts in effort for those he loves. He can be clumsy in the most endearing way and silly when the time allows it. This man is so many things and more, completely stealing your heart. You love him so much and it's still hard to believe that he reciprocates your feelings. Kim Namjoon is your man.

Biting your lip, you suppressed the urge to squeal as you walked with the rest of the angels. The journey was proceeding as normal except there was now a huge secret. Namjoon stood extremely close to you, holding your hand tightly. You wanted to be able to express your love for him publicly but that wasn't going to happen. Not any time soon at least. The two of you would have to be secretive and even now the hand holding was pushing it. All you wanted was to stand next to Namjoon, but he interlocked his fingers with yours before you could say anything. Namjoon is more likely to expose the relationship than you and you think that's a fair thing to say.

"Okay, we held hands. Time to let go," You said, attempting to remove yours from his grip. Namjoon only held onto yours tighter, smiling down at you. "Namjoon, I'm being serious."

"Do you not enjoy my affection?" He tilted his head as you blushed.

"I-I do, but when we're alone is better." You finally slipped away from his touch. Namjoon allowed you to let go but remained close. He wanted to keep you at his side more than ever. That was something you were quickly coming to realize.

If Namjoon was persistent in bothering you to confess then how much stronger is he going to be now that the two of you are lovers? It was almost frightening to think about. Hopefully you can keep him under control. The last thing you need is for him to try kissing you in front of all the angels. Then again, he can't be that reckless. You have some expectations for Namjoon so you hope he is able to keep them. That was actually something the two of you needed to talk about. Boundaries. That was an important thing to bring up. Hwayoung made some with Seungwon and mentioned them to you when she was trying to get her thoughts together. That could help Namjoon and you deal with less problems on this trip.

Honestly, you kept thinking back to every time Hwayoung ever mentioned anything specific about her relationship with Seungwon. You were using her as a guide to keep a relationship alive as well as hidden. It was almost funny how the two of you managed to find a man that you needed to be secretive with. Quite the coincidence. Though hopefully soon the two of you could be happy with your significant other out in the open. That was something you wished would come true very soon.

You had a vague idea on how the angels would react if they were to find out your relationship with Namjoon. For one thing, it wouldn't be a good thing. They would obviously be upset with you and have tons of questions. They'd probably believe the relationship wasn't real. In their eyes, they would think one person is getting used for whatever reson. They wouldn't trust the love to be genuine which you could understand. It would be so sudden to them, but only because they haven't been there for every moment you've had alone with Namjoon. They don't know any of that. The angels would request the affair to end or try to force it themselves.

That left you feeling a bit anxious. You loved the angels dearly, but you knew how they were. To be honest, you would be the same. If any of the other angels was secretly with the King and you weren't in love with him, you'd be suspicious of their intentions. They should know better than to fall in love with the King and actually pursue it. Sighing to yourself, you knew you would have a lot explaining to do if they found out. That's why they can't! You'll make sure Namjoon learns to keep his hands to himself and act natural around you in front of the other angels. Avoiding you was too odd and getting too close would be blaring alarms.

"I need to talk to you later in private," You whispered to the male. He glanced down at you but kept his head up.

"Is it urgent? I can get us alone right now," Namjoon murmured. All it took was the snap of his fingers, but you didn't want to do that. Who knows how much time it would give you both? Shaking your head, Namjoon hummed in acknowledgement. Namjoon and you walked as normal for a few seconds before you felt his hand graze against yours. He isn't actually trying to hold your hang again, is he? That's when you felt his hand again. He's got to be kidding. You turned to face the King with furrowed brows. He only stared at you innocently with a small smile. It was anything but innocent. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing at all, my King." You took a large step to the side. The smile on his face fell right away at your action. It made you want to laugh until he stepped closer to you. What is he doing? The two of you shuffled around while the rest of the angels were busy with their own conversations.

The two of you messed around a bit and luckily it ended as soon as it started. Already, the both of you were acting too friendly. A giggle almost slipped you when Namjoon tried to wrap his arms around you. That man is trying to get caught on the first day! You scolded him quietly, making sure he learned to stay his distance. It looked like this lesson would be the hardest one to teach him. Namjoon so badly wanted to be near you and get affectionate. It was strange. You didn't take him as the kind to be so affectionate, but you couldn't blame him at the same time. You wanted to hug him tight and give him plenty of kisses too. You just had a better time restraining yourself compared to the male.

He was just excited to finally have you for some reason. Personally, you didn't consider yourself to be anything special yet he looked at you as if you something more. He already called you his Queen which still made you embarrassed. That implied that he wanted to marry you. Would he actually? You wondered if he could be happy with you in the long run. You hope so. You're going to try your hardest to make this relationship last. Waiting patiently, you remained in your own thoughts until Solji announced that all of you would be sleeping here. Everyone left for their tasks as you made brief eye contact with Namjoon.

Thankfully Solji understood the firewood around this area wasn't that great. That meant you could spend plenty of time talking to Namjoon. Of course, you couldn't disappear for too long, but you definitely had more time than in the past. You hurried to get away from the others with Namjoon following close behind. He kept up before grabbing onto your wrist. He quickly pulled you into his chest, giggling with you as he pecked your lips. The two of you became quiet as you stared at one another. From eye contact alone, you felt your heart throbbing inside your chest.

"Ready to talk?" You asked. "I have a lot of things to bring up."

"I'm ready, my Queen." Namjoon pecked your lips again. He wanted to turn them into more passionate kisses, but you had some things to sort through. You grabbed his shoulders and forced him to sit down. Namjoon almost stumbled, staring up at you with big eyes. "Sometimes I forget how strong you actually are."

"Pretty cool, huh?" You held up your arm to flex your bicep. You grinned while Namjoon shyly rubbed his own arms. Crouching down, you sat in front of Namjoon and sighed. "What I actually wanted to talk to you about is boundaries."

"Boundaries?" He cocked up a brow.

"I absolutely adore the affection I receive from you, Namjoon," You started, "But I need you to dial it down around the other angels."

"I do have it under control around them." Namjoon frowned as your pursed your lips. He really couldn't when you hadn't accepted and now with the two of you being lovers, you feared it got worse. Namjoon began to knit his brows to see you slowly shaking your head. He scoffed at you. "Give me an example."

"Today alone was full of them," You stated. "Then your obvious attempts from when I hadn't confessed too."

"...I thought I was being stealthy," Namjoon mumbled.

"It's okay. You'll do better from now on." You patted his leg cheerfully. The corners of Namjoon's lips tugged upward slightly at your encouragement. You could tell he wanted more signs of love from you. Though you couldn't show him freely throughout the day, you could do so at night. Grabbing his hand, you held it as you continued. "This relationship has to be a secret, Namjoon. We can't reveal it to the angels until we feel safe to do so."

"Our time is limited then." Namjoon rubbed his thumb into the back of your hand. "We're nearing the mountains and by then it won't be long before we reach my cousin."

"We still have about two months in total, but you're right." You nodded your head. Scooting closer to Namjoon, you rested your head against his chest. "We'll tell them when it feels right."

"Whenever that might be." Namjoon laughed dryly. You wrapped your arms around him, snuggling into him. You were still being careful though. If you heard someone step on a branch or even another person breathing, you were ready to jump away from Namjoon or pretend you were this close to him for his protection. You were alert while Namjoon was peacefully holding you in his arms. "But I will keep it a secret, (F/n), and you will too."

"Of course—"

"You can't tell Hwayoung," Namjoon said. You don't know why you froze to hear him say that. It should have been obvious. You already knew that yourself anyway. There was not a single part of you that planned to tell Hwayoung but hearing it out loud made you pause. "I know the two of you are close and you know about her secret love, but this is different. Ours is more complicated...you understand, right?"

"Yes, I understand," You responded weakly. This was the obvious answer to his question and it still stung a bit. You know everything about Hwayoung and she knows everything about you. That's how things have always been. The two of you were practically attached at the hips and even called twins by the former Queen when you guys were younger. Hwayoung told you every time something occurred in her relationship with Seungwon. It made you wish you could gush about the same to her with you and Namjoon. Things were different now though now that you thought about it. Hwayoung doesn't technically know that you're aware of her engagement nor that she plans to flee with Seungwon. You suppose some things just have to be secrets. Some things are better left unsaid between best friends.

"Now let's go get that firewood. We've spent a good while sitting here." Namjoon kissed your cheek. Nodding your head, you got up on your feet and returned to your task for the night as Namjoon stayed close by.


	27. Interrupted

Ch.26

Being in a relationship with the King wasn't easy. The current reason it was so hard was because there were seven people around you two at all times. They interrupted Namjoon and you without even knowing. In their eyes, the two of you were just close friends which was good. Tricking them into believing things were the same was important. It was sometimes where keeping it secret could be a bit hard. You felt like you could slip up at any second. It's not that you worried they would catch you kissing him but rather you say something you shouldn't. You're normally quite talkative with the angels, but you've been a bit quiet these past few days. A bit _too_ quiet.

"I think Unnie is dehydrated." Jeonghwa looked you over.

So maybe they weren't suspicious of your relationship with Namjoon, but they knew something was up. That was already making you panic on the inside. It didn't help when they first interrogated you. All you wanted was to walk peacefully towards the mountain like you have been the past few days. Instead the angels were whispering behind your back. It made you tense as you tried to listen in to what they were saying. Had Namjoon and you been caught so soon? You were pale with fear, sweating while Namjoon walked more calmly up front. You did your best to keep a stoic expression even when one of them tapped your shoulders.

Holding back the temptation to flinch, you practically swallowed all your nerves. It was sitting in your stomach as you breathed slow and steady breaths. Somehow training to mentally prepare for your own death was being used for this. As long as they don't accuse you of being lovers with the King then you'll be fine. You could barely raise a brow at them as they all eyed you. How come it felt like they were all staring you down? They know, don't they? Those were your initial thoughts before you were bombarded with questions about your health and wellbeing.

All your fears were wiped away as they expressed their worry for you. Hands touched your forehead to check your temperature, berries were shoved near your face as well as full pouches of water. They removed their caps and everything. It made you want to laugh from how protective and caring they were being. It was actually very sweet of the angels to look out for you like this. Jeonghwa kept poking her water pouch near your lips as Hyelin hoped the aroma of berries would get you to eat. What were they even supposed to smell like in the first place?

"You have to eat, Yeon (F/n)," Hyelin said in a stern tone that didn't match her expression whatsoever. She looked more like she was trying to make you laugh with her eyes alone. They stared at you so intensely that it was hard to look away until Jeonghwa scoffed.

"No, what Unnie needs is more water." Jeonghwa narrowed her eyes on you, aggressively pushing the pouch against your face. "Drink."

"I have my own pouch," You stated. Your words were completely overlooked with these two reassuring the other that they knew what was best for you. Did they? So far you've only had them shoving things up in your face rather than them actually taking care of you.

"That doesn't mean you're taking care of yourself," Heeyeon added herself in. "Just drink the water and eat the berries, (F/n). It wouldn't hurt."

"Fine—"

"No, she shouldn't eat some d*mn plants if she's not feeling well. The girl needs meat." Hyojin was already holding onto her bow. Heeyeon took in a large breath, ready to start fighting her on this. Did she really want to though? Solji smacked Hyojin's hands away from trying to get an arrow out.

"Please no hurting each other." Solji huffed at the two.

"I'm actually feeling okay." You gave them a tight smile. None of them were listening to you, but you suppose that this was fine. It wasn't the worst thing in the world. They were all too busy talking amongst each other. Well, it was more bickering than anything else. All of them were below a whisper at first, but you knew the angels would struggle to stay quiet if they were going to fight.

Soon their voices were raised, and their loud volume had finally captured the attention of Namjoon. He finally just noticed their chaos? The first thing he saw was Jeonghwa and Hyelin shoving things in your face. It was extremely unpleasant. To the side of them was Hwayoung, the only one staying quiet with her arms crossed. Behind the four of you were the three oldest who were fighting about their own thing at this point. Solji ripped Hyojin's quiver away from her, scolding the woman as if she were a child. Hyojin had her round cheeks puffed out as Heeyeon snickered at her unnie. Namjoon furrowed his brows at the scene occurring before him. Should he really be surprised at this point?

His guardian angels in particular have never been known to be the most graceful or held together. All of you can fight really well, but you were all equally awful at keeping up with traditions. Stoic faces were rarely used, the formality with the King was slipping away, and all of you acted like brutes rather than beautiful ladies with swords. Sometimes life just does what it wants. It wasn't too much of a problem in any of your opinions. All of you could still protect the King just fine and work together perfectly. The only thing was that none of you carried the same aura your own mothers had when they walked with Namjoon's father.

There was no cold beauty before him. Namjoon blinked at the sight in front of him, stopping in his tracks. The angels were still shouting over one another until Hwayoung whistled loudly, causing all the angels to cover their ears and stop in their tracks. Though your ears were ringing, you were grateful Hwayoung finally got them to stop acting like this. You could finally breathe. Hyelin and Jeonghwa were practically squishing you in between them. Eyes traveled over to Hwayoung who silently motioned her head over to Namjoon who looked like a lost child.

"May I ask what is going on?" Namjoon raised a brow. His tone was careful as if he didn't want to step on a trap. The angels exchanged glances, but the only one able to talk without any bias was Hwayoung.

"They felt (F/n) wasn't well and were trying to figure out a way to care for her with water and food." Hwayoung sighed. "Not very successful in my opinion."

"Unnie, you didn't even try to help (F/n) unnie!" Jeonghwa frowned.

"Aren't you two supposed to be the best of friends?" Hyelin gave Hwayoung her intense stare.

"Believe me, she helped me more than any of you." You coughed, slipping away from the angels. Inching towards Hwayoung, you knew you would be better off with her. At least she listened to you without getting swept up in other's nonsense.

"Wait, (F/n), you aren't doing well?" Namjoon looked at you with a small frown. He almost stepped towards you and that made you tense up immediately. What is he doing? You bit the insides of your cheeks as he held himself back from rushing over to you. "Should we take a break from walking?"

"I think that would be best." Solji slowly returned Hyojin's quiver back.

"A short rest." Namjoon snapped his fingers before motioning you to come over to him. Hwayoung let you go to him as the rest sat down. They were still grumbly about what they believed was best. They're almost unbelievable. Rubbing your arm, you followed Namjoon to a spot away from the girls. The two of you were still visible to them but at least they wouldn't be able to hear if you whispered. You had your back facing the girls, but you could tell Namjoon wished he had the freedom to let his emotions take over his expressions. He crossed his arms to restrict himself from trying to touch you in any sort of way. A sigh left his lips as he looked at you. "Do you feel sick?"

"I'm well. I don't know why they didn't think I was." You smiled at him. This was just a huge inconvenience in your opinion. All of you should keep walking and continue traveling over to the mountain. It was growing larger so you knew that all of you were so close. Why stop now? But Namjoon looked unconvinced as he stared at you. "What? Do you want me to drink water?"

"I would prefer you to do at least something. I know these days can be physically draining and demanding," Namjoon stated. You quietly nodded your head, kicking at the dirt. "I'm only saying this because they got me worried."

"They're worrying over nothing." You crossed your own arms.

"Go drink water," Namjoon ordered as a sigh left you. "I love you."

"I love you too," You mumbled.

Namjoon sucked in a breath as he watched you walk away from him. He so badly wanted to give you a kiss before letting you go. Hold your hand or something. He felt like he was being deprived. He'll get his kiss soon enough. He just needs to be patient. He nodded to himself while you waddled your way over to Hwayoung. She stared up, raising a brow at your actions. She was sitting on the ground with the rest of the angels but unlike them, she wasn't conversing with anyone. You gave her a forced grin that would hopefully charm her into following you without saying anything. Luckily, Hwayoung knew you well and got onto her feet.

She allowed you to lead the way as you searched for the long river that has been extremely helpful to you guys this entire journey. Removing the cap on your water pouch, you headed towards the sound of moving water. Hwayoung was still following behind as she puzzled pieces together in her mind. You needed to refill your water and something else. Her eyes were sharp as she examined each of your actions. Pursing your lips, you crouched down when you made it near the river. From there you just let the water enter the leather pouch on its own.

"Is this what you didn't want to do?" Hwayoung asked.

"What do you mean?" Your brows knitted together.

"You walk like a baby duck when you're told to do something you don't want to do." Hwayoung chuckled, walking closer to you. "Am I wrong?"

"I do that?" You turned to her in shock. Hwayoung burst out laughing, covering her mouth with her hand. You leaned closer to her in alarm. Is that actually something you do? How long have you been doing it? Why won't she stop laughing!?" Hwayoung-a!"

"I'm sorry." She laughed again before quickly clearing her throat. "Uh, you've been doing that for as long as I can remember."

"That's embarrassing..." You let your head hang down. She just decided to mention that to you _now_? Hwayoung's lips were twitching and it was clear she wanted to laugh again. "Oh, go ahead! Laugh!"

"I just think it's entertaining that the entire reason you walked like that in the first place was because of the King's order." Hwayoung began to refill her own pouch while she was with you. Pouting, you capped your pouch. "He told you to refill your water?"

"No. Since all of you caused a ruckus, he thought something was genuinely wrong with me. Namjoon just told me to drink water, but I didn't have any in my pouch." You lightly shook the heavy pouch. You expected Hwayoung to say something witty to you. It could have been anything like her claiming she wasn't a part of that mess, but she remained silent. Her eyes stayed on you as things suddenly became quiet. What did you do? "Hwayoung—?"

"You called him by his name again." Hwayoung's face was expressionless while her tone was threatening. You felt yourself grow pale from her words. Sh*t. That slipped without a single thought. Giving her a weak smile, you screamed at yourself inside. You lowered your guard around Hwayoung and messed up like you had predicted. What were you supposed to say? Everything in your mind was jumbled up, struggling to make coherent sentences leave your mouth. "I doubt it's by accident at this point."

"K-King Namjoon. I meant, King Namjoon." Your grip tightened around your leather pouch as you stood up. You were doing your best not to tremble in front of Hwayoung. She stood up, her gaze making you feel small.

"Did you? Even then, that's not how you normally refer to him as." Hwayoung took a step closer to you. "I gave you a warning last time."

"I'm sorry! I apologize...I have no manners..." You swallowed hard, looking down at your feet. "With everyone getting close to the King and acting like friends...it made me feel like old times. When we used to call him by his name. Before we knew any better..." You slowly brought your eyes back up to meet Hwayoung's. Her pupils were shaking as she looked you over, her lips thinning.

"Is that the truth?" Hwayoung asked quietly. "Or is there something I don't know?"

Something she doesn't know?

Where to begin?

It felt like eternity after she asked that question. It had a simple answer. Sort of. There was no easy answer in reality. It's not like you had the option to tell her the truth. You promised Namjoon that you wouldn't reveal anything about your relationship to her. And you knew better than to do so. You wouldn't have told her even if Namjoon never told you to keep this a secret to her. Right? You stared at Hwayoung with a gentle smile like all the ones she was familiar with. Her glare on you was beginning to falter, struggling to interrogate you like this when you were behaving this way. Acting as if everything was normal.

"It's the truth," You lied. _Lied_.

It left a horrible after taste in your mouth. You've never lied to Hwayoung this much. Maybe a white lie here and there, but this was a significant one. Suddenly things felt different. Hwayoung was someone you considered yourself an open book to. Now you were being deceitful and it felt wrong. A guilty feeling tugged at your heart. Though you had your own reasons for doing so, you knew this would eat at you. Being in a relationship with the King had as many lows as it did its highs. Hwayoung slowly smiled at you, nodding her head as she took your answer without question. She would stop pressuring you about it like that.

"I know I said last time was my only warning...but I'll give you one more." She crossed her arms. "I'm not going to tell the angels."

"...thank you." You smiled weakly. She was already walking back with you following behind her. "Is it because you like me that much? Can't hurt your close friend?"

"I'd rather not," Hwayoung said as she sighed heavily. "But you shouldn't be calling the King by his first name so casually." She turned to look at you, making you pause. "I'm still serious about performing our Fates as his angels."

"I'm serious about it too..." You spoke quietly.

"I know you are." Hwayoung nodded again, continuing the walk back. "You just need to be more strict on yourself with how you address his Majesty."

"I will." You dug your nails into the leather pouch.

That was close. Too close for your liking. You also didn't particularly like how it left you feeling. For some reason it felt as if you were committing a crime. Was falling in love with the King and being his lover that wrong? It certainly could be considered one. You were preventing the King from fulfilling his duty of marrying Lady Eunchae and producing a pure blood heir. From the start you were ashamed of falling for Namjoon and you considered your emotions a sin. That's why you gave him your sword to punish you, but he didn't. That still left you with a rush of emotions. Namjoon didn't believe it was right to harm you for what you felt. You want to trust his judgement in this and believe everything will be alright.

You drank your water as the journey continued on for a few more hours. After that conversation with Hwayoung, you were left on edge. You were a complete bundle of nerves waiting to freak out once Namjoon and you got to be alone again. Just from this little accident alone, you stopped talking for the entire day. The angels found it strange again so you made sure to drink water any time they looked over at you. Maybe you shouldn't have drank so much water either. You had to pee behind a bush and getting rid of your armor was always hassle. Eventually, Solji called everyone to perform their tasks as the sun began to set.

It was second nature at this point, but you were still too lost in your own head. A lot of emotions were unable to settle down. The fact that you lied to Hwayoung about something you always dreamed to gush about was killing you in an odd way. Maybe you'll get to talk about it with her later. Explain how it all occurred and she'll be happy for you. Hopefully that's soon. For now, you had to be a model guardian angel in her eyes. You had to prove you were being serious and quit making mistakes. Calling Namjoon by his name was going to get you killed at this point. D*mn your tongue. You huffed to yourself as Namjoon followed you away from the others.

"We're alone now, my Queen~." Namjoon purred. He was wiggling his brows only to see you walking with a small frown. You weren't rushing into his arms like he had originally imagined. "(F/n)?" He tilted his head as you finally stopped to look back at him.

"I'm sorry...it's just, I slipped up in front of Hwayoung," You told him. Namjoon's shoulders lowered as he listened to you. "It wasn't anything huge, but I did call you Namjoon in front of her."

"That's all?" Namjoon asked. He saw how you pursed your lips. This clearly bugged you a lot more than it did to him. He pulled your hands into his as he stared down at you. "I can always talk things out with her if need be. I have my ways so don't worry." Namjoon began to lean closer. "Give me a kiss."

"I think it's best if you don't get involved." You shook your head. Namjoon stayed still with his lips puckered, waiting for the kiss that never came. "Hwayoung is intelligent and will figure there is some sort of agreement between us if you come to my defense. Let me handle my troubles with the angels. If it gets too far then I'll request your help and only then."

"If that's what you want." Namjoon nodded, leaning closer before realizing you had let go of his hands. The male stumbled forward in shock as he watched you picking up firewood. You were already away from him, the male scoffing. He wanted his kiss! "(F/n), you left me!"

"Sorry, I just needed to get the wood first." You stood up to face him. Namjoon walked over with a small pout on his lips.

"The firewood could have waited," Namjoon grumbled as he stood close to you. He was ready to finally kiss you until the two of you heard rustling. You were quick on your feet to stand away from him and drop the firewood. Namjoon only furrowed his brows before seeing you pull out your sword. His eyes widened then, but you were prepared. All your senses were sensitive as you looked around. No sounds of footsteps or breathing. That was until more movement came from the bushes. From there came a rabbit, causing Namjoon to relax behind you yet you were still on edge. This rabbit was running from something.

"Psst. (F/n), don't move." A voice whispered. Carefully your eyes traveled over to the source, spotting Hyelin up in the trees. She held her bow as she aimed her arrow on the small creature.

Namjoon wanted to start a fit. He didn't get to kiss you this night which was a shame, but not that big of a deal. At least he gets to eat! You wished that would cheer him up a little bit. Maybe Namjoon didn't like seeing his food alive first. Well, he eventually ate when Solji told him to. She wouldn't take any of his excuses and insisted the King eat something for the night. She treated the boy like a baby, embarrassing him but Namjoon ate like she wanted. Hyojin and Heeyeon were with the King, teasing him lightly like older sisters. They were fond with him so Namjoon couldn't complain much. He ate his food while across from him was you with the other young ones. Hyelin teased the idea of feeding you before Jeonghwa insisted you drink your water first. This again? Hwayoung was trying to mind her own business before getting pulled into the bickering.

"Eat your cooked rabbit, my King." Solji blew on the hot piece.

"Aigoo, look at his chubby cheeks." Hyojin grinned.

"Adorable!" Heeyeon laughed as Namjoon blushed. He chewed silently on his food with his eyes on you.

"Let her drink after she's eaten! That makes more sense!" Hyelin huffed.

"She should drink water no matter what! Hwayoung unnie refilled her water pouch for a reason!" Jeonghwa wrapped her arm around the angel. "Are you saying her efforts were for nothing?

"Please don't bring me into this," Hwayoung requested formally. They were all talking over each other, not really focusing on you anymore. You giggled softly, smiling back at Namjoon.


	28. Mountain Dumplings

Ch.27

After painful weeks of walking on feet, all of you were finally nearing the mountains more than before. Solji had to call everyone to rest tonight but she was certain that all of you would arrive and find a village by tomorrow evening. She would make sure that major progress gets completed tomorrow. Everyone was thrilled to finally reach the mountain. It was so close they could practically taste it. They couldn't stop sighing in relief this night before going to bed. They really were that happy about it? You could see why. That would have been you if you weren't in love with the King and his lover. You had your own reasons for not being as excited.

Namjoon and you have only been together for about two weeks and you wanted more. You didn't like the idea of your time running out. Going through the mountains would approximately take another month so you had time, but it might go with the blink of an eye. Depending on the weather and circumstances, reaching Lady Eunchae should take less than two months at this point. You completely hated it but smiled whenever the angels brought it up in excitement. That's what they expected out of you so you gave them that. Namjoon didn't bother smiling. He only agreed with it before changing the topic. They wouldn't press him about it if he didn't want to talk about it.

He wasn't too happy about his time running low with you. Eventually he would have to tell the other angels so they're not surprised when he says he doesn't want to marry Lady Eunchae. He was just struggling on what to say. Should he tell them he loves your first or that he doesn't want to marry Lady Eunchae? He didn't know which one sounded better, but he planned to tell them when they got out of the mountains. Things were still good right now and he wanted to have you as freely as he could without the angels being upset. The both of you knew things would get complicated the moment they know so it was better they didn't.

The two of you were doing better at being secretive. You were getting used to it and not minding it as much. Namjoon felt the same way compared to how he felt in the beginning. He finally grew the patience to wait for the kisses he craved. He would sneak some in when finding berries or searching for firewood with you. Along with making more time, you started taking the night shifts for the first half of each night. The two of you waited until all the angels were deep asleep. That's when Namjoon and you would cuddle and talk for a while. Then he would fall asleep as you woke up the next angel to do the other shift. The two of you haven't been caught yet so there was no harm in continuing.

"I love you," Namjoon whispered as he kissed your neck. He had his arms tightly wrapped around you, refusing to let you go for anything in the world. You smiled at his affection, leaning back into him. It was a bit ticklish so you tried to hold in your giggles. The both of you were a little far from the fire where the rest of the angels were sleeping. Namjoon was sitting against a tree with you sitting in between his legs.

"I love you too," You replied before raising your shoulders up to your head. "I'm going to laugh if you keep kissing my neck."

"I just want to kiss every part of you," Namjoon said huskily. Something about his deep voice saying that caused shivers to run down your body. It felt weird to be in between him at the moment. You felt shy now, but Namjoon only grew more comfortable as he pulled your closer. "I can't wait for when we get to have complete privacy."

"Is there something you have in mind?" You asked. Namjoon only sucked in a breath, shifting behind you as he nodded.

"I'll keep it a surprise until then." Namjoon gave you a large grin. A surprise? Your smile grew to hear that, swaying happily.

"Surprises are fun." You hummed. Namjoon hummed in return, chuckling to himself.

He rested his chin on your shoulder as the two of you enjoyed your time together. The fire crackling softly in the background and then the pretty moon glowing. It was a beautiful sight that you got to share with Namjoon. You couldn't always have special moments like this with him so when you did, you treasured them. They meant a lot and made your heart swell every time you thought about them. They made the best memories that you could ever ask for. You just wanted to remember this perfectly down to every detail. The way it feels to be sitting like this in Namjoon's arms. This was your happiness. The few times you just felt...normal.

You were an odd girl. You've accepted that at this point in your life. By that you don't necessarily mean your personality or your tastes when it comes to certain things. It's just that most women don't do what you do. They wore colorful, bright, long skirts and spoke softly. They act delicate and follow every order from their father or whatever man is in charge of them. That could have been you, but instead you wore men's clothes. You knew how to wield a sword, but barely pour a cup of tea properly. Neither was better than the other. You remember wishing you could wear dresses all the time and you still want that at times. Moments to feel feminine but having Namjoon made you feel like that. You could understand why Hwayoung would act almost weak in front of Seungwon now. It wasn't an act to fuel his pride but allowing her to be vulnerable. She didn't have to pretend.

Things were making sense to you now. You were growing more comfortable with yourself. Though you used to not consider yourself anything special, Namjoon made you feel that way. It was nice. A soft blush appeared on your cheeks as you turned to peck Namjoon's lip. Your heart still acted as if it were performing tricks when you were with Namjoon. Sometimes you felt the calmest you ever have around him like all was right in the world and other times, you felt like your entire world had been turned upside down. Such huge extremes that you were slowly unable to live without. Namjoon pecked your lips again, his dimples appearing as he smiled at you.

Sometimes you couldn't believe that you had the King with you like this. Kim Namjoon, the King of Goguryeo, had fallen in love with you. That still sounded like a dream or some sort of tale. A King and his guard. Of course, you didn't love Namjoon because he was King. He just happened to be royal and you just happened to be working for him. Was it Fate? You couldn't believe that it was Namjoon who you would fall for. If only younger you knew this. He was right in front of you all this time. His angel, his shadow. Yeon (F/n) falling for the King but then making him chase after you. You're just grateful that he didn't give up on you after rejecting him cruelly the first time. He wasn't broken down but filled with determination to make you his no matter what. Now you couldn't be happier, not allowing any fear of this all being temporary to exist.

"What will we do when we return back to the palace? When this is all over with?" You asked softly. Namjoon thought quietly, pulling his head away from your shoulder.

"I'd like to marry you," Namjoon said. You brought your hands up to your face, embarrassed while he only continued. "We'd have a proper ceremony and I'd make you my Queen. No one would be able to say otherwise. I know you will make a great Queen and eomeoni."

"Eomeoni?" The blush on your face grew.

"Producing an heir would still need to happen." Namjoon chuckled before kissing your cheek. "How does that sound?"

"I guess...I'm really excited for the future then." You balled your hands into fists. The sound of becoming Queen was terrifying, but you were fond of the idea of raising a family with Namjoon. Again, that made you feel normal with him. You can't wait to have that all with him and not have any of this be a secret anymore.

Namjoon and you spent a few minutes silently like this. He wanted to keep you in his embrace for a little longer before you left to go wake up another angel to do the shift. Unfortunately, you both couldn't stay awake forever or else tomorrow will be a painful day to complete. The two of you quietly returned closer to the fire just as you nudged Hyelin awake. The girl could barely open her eyes at first, but she you probably wanted to sleep again already. You made sure to yawn heavily just for her. Namjoon was already pretending to be asleep as you finally let yourself rest for the night. Though the fire was warm, it wasn't as warm as it felt to be with Namjoon.

Closing your eyes felt more like a blink. Sun was suddenly shining on your face causing you to open your eyes. It was already morning? Stirring, you turned on your side to see the angels getting ready to walk for the day. Heeyeon was barely waking like you while Hwayoung had returned to get more water in her pouch. Rubbing your eyes, you got up onto your feet to start stretching. If you didn't stretch then you would be in pain all day. The ground was not kind, but you were getting used to it. That still didn't mean it was comfortable. Solji was going over plans with Namjoon he sat up against a tree, drinking water. It looked like he was trying to convince his eyes to open for the day.

Chuckling to yourself, you fixed up your hair and made sure the hold was tighter. The hairpin Namjoon gave you was sitting snuggly in your hair as you faced the rest of the angels. Namjoon was guided to stand in the middle of all of you as Solji led the way over to the mountain. She had gotten a hang of the compass really well. The missing map made things a bit of a struggle, but things would get easier once you all reach a village. Food would be easier to get as well as finding appropriate places to spend the night. Sure, all those things would come at a cost, but Heeyeon was thinking of gambling a couple drunk men out of their money. Solji didn't know about that part though.

The long walk towards the mountain began to turn uphill faster than you thought. Namjoon grumbled that his legs were feeling like weights which caused the angels to laugh. He says that yet all of you had heavy thick leather wrapped around your bodies. You could only imagine what warriors on the battlefield would have said with them wearing metal and iron. You always wondered how they didn't sink into the dirt with how much weight was put on them. There were only a few metal buckles on your armor while Namjoon had nothing, but cloth. Then his gat that he was now using to fan himself. He had already drunk all the water from his pouch. Hopefully there's a well in the village or a river.

While Namjoon was growing tired, all the angels were getting excited. They began to walk faster in hopes of reaching the top faster. The temperature was already feeling cooler with how high all of you were getting from the ground. You admired the view from where you were standing, looking over miles of trees and land. You were actually enjoying this walk compared to all the ones in the past. It finally felt like you weren't seeing the same trees over and over again.

"How long until we get there?" Jeonghwa squealed. She was practically bouncing, her steps large with little hops in between.

"It shouldn't be long," Solji said with a small smile.

"Finally! I thought I was going to lose my mind in that forest." Hyelin scoffed, getting a few giggles out of the girls. "It's true! You were all going to look like trees to me if we spent another day there!"

"I'm glad I didn't become a tree in your eyes then." Hwayoung playfully shook her head.

"You probably would have peed on one of us then." Heeyeon snorted, covering her mouth as she laughed.

"Aish, why are you being gross?" Hyojin scrunched her face up as she pushed Heeyeon.

"It's a valid thought." You shrugged. Hyojin was quick to disagree, not wanting anyone to encourage this hypothetical situation. The rest of the girls were laughing as Namjoon raised a brow at all of you.

"All of you seem...close?" Namjoon worded it nicely. Solji patted his back, not knowing what to say back to him. She didn't really want to get into the weird conversation Hyelin created. It was best to end it here and forget about it.

The younger ones were all laughing compared to the two eldest. Hyojin was never a fan of things getting gross like this. She always did better at the classes on how to be a lady. Maybe that's why, but even then you found that amusing. She could watch someone cling onto life, squirming and sweating as they had each nail torn off one by one but then one conversation about getting peed on was suddenly too much? You suppose everyone has their limits. You chuckled at your own thoughts, moving forward with all the angels. Namjoon didn't say much after that. He would rather let you all talk and laugh at the strange lengths they would go to. You had to admit, you guys were pretty amusing.

All of you were too busy conversing that none of you had realized how much progress was made. The land was beginning to level itself out and the only ones aware were Solji and the King. Namjoon was beginning to smile as Solji listened clearly to the sounds around her. There were a few thin trees in her path, but Solji knew exactly where she was leading all of you. She took a sharp turn with confidence that managed to make everyone stop talking. Namjoon was following her quietly, the rest of you catching up. Pushing through the branches and shrubs, you soon stared at what Solji had brought you all too. She successfully found the first village in the mountain!

There was a long pathway that allowed travelers to come through. Already, someone was making their way on a donkey that was carrying two large bags. Each of you stepped further into the village, smiling to finally see other life. Children were playing out on the streets, wrestling on the ground and running all over the place. You could spot vendors trying to catch the attention of those walking by, shouting prices and pestering anyone they could. There were a few shops open that had your stomach rumbling. Someone was selling dumplings? You clutched your stomach, ready to eat some fattening food. Berries and cooked meat had reached their limit with you.

The others must have felt that same. Heeyeon was drooling as she walked over, no longer paying attention to anyone else. Solji attempted to call her back but she was lost to the smell of food from the multiple shops cooking something up. Hyojin's eyes were examining the blacksmith who was banging his hammer on a hot piece of metal. Suddenly another angel was lost by their intrigue. Next thing you know, Jeonghwa walked over to talk with the kids and eventually pulled into one of their games. Hyelin rushed to talk to the vendors, excited to talk with other people besides the angels. Though she didn't have any money on her, you could hear her bargaining and convincing them to lower their prices.

"We actually made it," You said in shock. It hadn't fully set in quite yet.

"What do we do now?" Hwayoung looked over at Solji. The eldest took in a large breath, stepping forward with a smile.

"I'm going to figure out a way to get money. I'll make sure we find beds to sleep in tonight," Solji said. "There should be an inn somewhere here if they get frequent travelers."

"I can help." Hwayoung faced Solji with determination. She was standing tall, waiting only for Solji to shake her head.

"It's okay, Hwayoung. I'll allow all of you to relax for the first couple hours." Solji smiled. "Sort of. You have to watch him." She pointed over to the King who got distracted watching a bird peck at a tree. Namjoon quickly cleared his throat the moment he realized he was getting talked about. He was pink as he scoffed.

"I'm not five." He stuck his nose up in the air.

"Until you have your first child, I'm not risking anything." Solji narrowed her eyes on the male before looking back at her two angels. "Watch him."

"Yes, Angel Solji." The two of you bowed.

Solji smiled sweetly at you both as she walked away. You had no idea what she was going to do, but you trusted her. Solji could do anything. While Hwayoung and you remained respectful in your bows, Namjoon was huffing and puffing like a child. He was getting tired of being watched. He always needed someone with him which you understood why he would be annoyed. As long as he doesn't tell you guys to stand ten feet away from him then you'll be okay. Namjoon can survive having his shadows by his side for a day. It certainly won't hurt him. Actually, you were happy to spend a few hours with your best friend and your lover. Things were already looking up from here.

"What shall we do first?" Hwayoung lifted herself up.

"I have no real preference." You smiled, looking over at Namjoon. The King was looking over what he could see of the village. You're sure there was more the village could offer if you walked further in. Hwayoung and you waited for him, Namjoon slowly looking back at you both in surprise.

"What? You want me to decide?" Namjoon pointed to himself.

"You're King so it's only fair." Hwayoung laughed.

"She has a point." You joined in. "It better be good." Hwayoung nodded along to your words, the both of you staring up at him intensely.

"You two..." Namjoon sighed. He crossed his arms before pointing over to the dumpling shop. Yes! You were so grateful to him. Food sounded so good right now! Hwayoung looked over at the area before furrowing her brows at him.

"Do you have any money on you?" She asked. There goes your dreams! They were crushed as you whined softly. But she was right, money was the only way you guys could get dumplings. Unless they took weapons but there was no way you were giving any of those up.

"I'm sure we can convince them somehow." Namjoon shrugged.

"So we beg?" Hwayoung blinked her eyes.

"I didn't say that."

"But that's essentially what we're going to do."

"It's not begging if you have a good argument."

"Begging none the less."

"I will beg! I just want food!" You shouted at them. "I don't have pride so let's go!" You were already begging to them. Look at you go! You're basically a professional. Clasping your hands, you gave them your biggest eyes possible. Anything for them to stop bickering. You didn't care about the technicalities of what was considered begging or not. Hwayoung and Namjoon exchanged looks before looking back at you, the two smiling softly at you.

"Let's get you those dumplings."

"Yes!!"

You were cheering in absolute joy. It's a good thing that these two people have a soft spot for you. Hwayoung giggled to see you skipping at the thought of dumplings. Namjoon stared at you, badly wanting to pepper your face in kisses from how adorable you were in his eyes. He wanted to get you all the dumplings in the world at this point. The three of you stepped into the wooden hut, the strong scent of the food making you want to cry. It was beautiful. You knew your stomach would rumble any second now. Hwayoung and Namjoon looked around until a young boy walked out from a small room. He appeared to be a teenager, so you doubt he was the owner. The son of them, most likely.

"Do you want dumplings to eat here or have them packed up to go?" The male sighed. He didn't seem to be in the best mood, but you didn't care too much about that.

"Here sounds good," Hwayoung started, "But first, is it possible to eat dumplings for no cost tonight? We'll be able to pay you tomorrow first thing in the morning." She said this a lot better than you would have. You probably would have stumbled over your words, still entranced by the smell of dumplings. Though the young boy didn't seem too pleased with what she had to say.

"You want to eat for free? Three people?" His eye twitched. He was scowling at the three of you, wondering where the hell you all came from.

"We'll pay more in the morning tomorrow. It doesn't matter." Namjoon sighed, putting his hands on his hips. "We just need to eat."

"I don't think you understand how a business works." The boy shook his head. You could understand why he was irritated, but Namjoon only clicked his tongue from his own annoyance.

"I said we'll pay you back more money in the morning." Namjoon narrowed his eyes on the boy.

"You're dressed like people from the capital, but you carry no money." The boy leaned against a wall. "That's a bit odd to me. Are you all thieves? Do you intend to rob me of my goods as well?"

"You little—" Namjoon's face turned red. Hwayoung was quick to restrain him, giving the King a stern look. While she got Namjoon to calm down, you smiled at the boy.

"You're right about us being from the capital. We're meant to travel through the mountains, but we were robbed of everything along the way," You admitted. "Please understand that we haven't had any full meals for days now."

The young male pursed his lips at your request. You were honest and less frustrating in his eyes, but that didn't stop him from wanting the money right away. It was a fair exchange. That's how it's meant to work and you understood that. It just wasn't quite possible at the moment. All you were requesting was some sympathy from a stranger and well, food. You pressed your hands together as you gave him a hopeful smile. Compared to the two in the room, you had a face most people could trust. You didn't give off the impression that you could kill on command. That was just your charm! Except it didn't seem to quite work on this young fellow here.

"Look, I'll take an exchange." He shrugged.

"Exchange?" Hwayoung stepped forward. She looked at you with a frown, the two of you looking over your belongings. There was really nothing you guys could give away.

"Your hairpins. Those are the only things worth anything." The boy pointed at them. Instantly, Hwayoung and you froze. Your hairpins? No way in hell. Hwayoung became pale while your throat was dry. The two of you started shaking your heads as Namjoon entered the conversation again.

"No way. Those hairpins could buy your entire d*mn shop." Namjoon growled. He protectively put his arms around Hwayoung and you. He pulled the two of you close, slightly putting you guys behind him. The young male sighed heavily, glaring at the King. Namjoon was telling the truth though. You couldn't even imagine the actual price Hwayoung and you were carrying daily on your heads.

"Then no dumplings. I don't know what else to tell you." The boy sighed. Great. Namjoon held back the urge to flash out his title. Why would a King being fighting so hard just to eat dumplings from a village in the middle of nowhere? The male gritted his teeth while you were getting ready to start faking tears. You were going to go down on your knees and make up an entire back story. You've been preparing for this moment all your life. Just as you were about to start acting, a woman came out from the small room. Her eyes were squinted as she wiped off sweat from her forehead. She looked at the three of you before looking at the boy with an angry expression.

"What is wrong with you? Go back in there." She pulled the boy's ear. Namjoon bit his lip, wanting to laugh to see how quick the boy was to cower. That made him feel better than he thought it would. The woman dusted off her hands before giving the three of you a welcoming smile. "I'm sorry about him. I was busy at first, but I heard everything."

"You did?" Namjoon gave her an apologetic look.

"As long as you pay back more like you said, I'll take it." She winked as she walked over to pinch Namjoon's cheek. "A handsome young man like you will be easy to find in this small village."

"Thank you." Namjoon grinned.

"And these lovely ladies too." The woman gasped as she looked at Hwayoung and you. The two of you blushed, not used to this type attention. Eyes are usually always on Namjoon. This felt interesting. "Go sit where you like. I'll bring out dumplings!"

"Thank you so much." Hwayoung bowed.

"You're a life saver!" You added as the woman rushed to get some.

You couldn't believe it. You were actually getting dumplings! Who knew it would be that easy convincing a lovely old woman than a moody teenage boy? She was genuinely a blessing. The smile wouldn't disappear from your face as the three of you sat outside at a table. Namjoon chose the spot, allowing his body to drop on a stool. He sighed heavily as Hwayoung and you sat quietly across from him. Food! You were still so excited for the moment when she brings fresh dumplings out. You were going to eat until your heart's content! While you were in a good mood, Namjoon let out another heavy sigh. The smile on your face soon vanished and Hwayoung furrowed her brows.

"Everything alright, my King—er, Sir?" Hwayoung glanced around. Namjoon placed his elbows on the table as he looked you both in the eyes.

"I know those hairpins mean a lot to you two." Namjoon frowned. "If anyone in this village tries to get their grubby hands—"

"Thank you for worrying." Hwayoung chuckled gently with you.

"Grubby hands?" You teased. Namjoon turned pink, rubbing the back of his neck.

"(F/n) and I will handle them in our own special way." Hwayoung nudged you playfully.

"Oh, yes. They won't be able to have children once we're done with them!" You hummed in delight.

"That sounds...pleasant?" Namjoon cleared his throat. "But I'm glad you both weren't too hurt by that child."

"Not at all. We would never give them up anyway no matter their price," You stated as Namjoon stared at you. You were feeling warm inside, your heart swelling. "They mean too much to us."

"Exactly. Seungwon gave it to me and I promised I would return safely with it." Hwayoung couldn't help but smile at saying his name.

"Another moment to tell him where you smiled just by saying his name." Namjoon teased. Hwayoung whined as you raised your brow. Was Namjoon keeping a list? And how do you add to this list because you can name so many times where she smiled from Seungwon's name alone!

"Isn't my friend so cute? So in love with her man!" You cooed, hugging Hwayoung.

"Ah, let go!" She laughed, her attempts to push you away were incredibly weak. She loved you~! Namjoon laughed at the interaction, wishing he had his own best friend by his side. He couldn't wait for when all four of you could proudly walk with your lovers out in the open. That's his wish.

Eventually the dumplings came out and all three of you were ready to dig in. They were just as good as they smelled. You lost count of how many you ate, but you were so grateful towards the woman for feeding all of you. Once all of you were stuffed, there were endless thanks given to her. She only smiled as you guys bowed to her. Even Namjoon had his head down for her which you found slightly amusing. The only people he's ever bowed to in his life were his parents. Namjoon assured the woman that she would be paid back generously by tomorrow morning. You had no idea where that money would come from, but you're going to make sure that promise is kept!

Namjoon walked in between you and Hwayoung as you all strolled deeper into the village. The goal was to find Solji since you guys have been out long enough. The sun should be setting soon anyways. You smiled as you walked with them. It felt so nice just having it be the three of you. It reminded you vaguely of when you guys were younger. Back when Hwayoung and you didn't fully understand the entire concept of him being the Crown Prince. You remember those days like they were yesterday and it made you realize how they haven't really changed much at all. Hwayoung and Namjoon still bickered over little things, teased one another, but still cared even if they would refuse to say it vocally. You smiled and hummed on the walk to find Solji.

Hwayoung was clueless as Namjoon's hand grazed against yours. She concentrated on the path ahead of her, searching for Solji. You were doing that too until Namjoon decided to be flirty. Biting your lip, you pretended like everything was normal as you slowly took Namjoon's hand into your own. His fingers interlocked with yours, squeezing your small hand tightly. The two of you were able to stay close like this for a short while. Eventually Hwayoung pointed out Solji who was gathering the other angels by her side. Once her eyes landed on you guys, she waved you all over. Namjoon and you stopped holding hands just in time, hiding your smiles as you all walked to join the others.

"Perfect timing." Solji clasped her hands together. "I was luckily able to find an Inn with enough rooms for the eight of us. Rooms will be shared and I only got us two nights here. Tonight and tomorrow."

"We're staying an extra night?" Namjoon raised a brow.

"The only way I got us the rooms was by promising to work for the owner. All us angels will do tasks for the man while you relax." Solji nodded. "We'll pay our debts, my King. Don't worry about any of it."

"Why kind of work?" Hwayoung questioned.

"Probably a lot of cleaning." Hyelin shrugged.

"Sounds easy enough." Jeonghwa stretched her arms above her head.

"Let's all head back now and get situated in our rooms." Hyojin nudged her head in the direction of the Inn. Everyone nodded their heads, following the two eldest. You didn't think much of what was going on until you noticed Heeyeon holding a large pouch in her hands. Tapping her shoulders, she turned to face you.

"What's that?" You pointed out the item as she smirked.

"This?" Heeyeon held it up to your face. "I made a few bets at the bar and won! No big deal!"

"Wait, Heeyeon, is that money?" Namjoon inserted himself in the conversation. He stared at the bag in awe as Heeyeon nodded her head. "Can I have it?"

"H-Have it?" Heeyeon repeated. She noticed Hwayoung and you staring at her, making her gulp. "For what, may I ask?"

"I have to pay back a woman for dumplings. You understand, don't you?" Namjoon smiled. Heeyeon gave him a tight smile in return, slowly handing him the money. It was obvious she didn't want to though it's not like she had a choice. It also wasn't her money much to begin with. The angel whined softly to herself as Namjoon thanked her, holding it close to his chest.

Hwayoung and you exchanged quick glances. It was a look that you could read easily. The both of you wanted to laugh, but held it in. It's more appropriate this way. Soon the eight of you arrived at the Inn that was rather large. You expected something smaller, but you weren't one to complain. As long as you don't sleep on the ground anymore! Solji entered first with the rest of you coming in after her, following her to the rooms that she had selected. Three rooms in total for the eight of you. Solji paused in her steps, all of you staying still in the crowded hallway.

"Here is how I divided it up in my head," Solji said. "Four angels in one room and three in another. The King will have a room to himself."

"We have to be cramped?" Hyelin frowned.

"Better than on the dirt floor." Hwayoung sighed.

"I get a room all to myself?" Namjoon smiled. Of course he did! The angels tried not to say anything, clearing their throats.

"You do, but I was wondering if you wanted an angel standing outside your door." Solji looked over at him, Namjoon beginning to frown.

"So I'm not alone?" He crossed his arms.

"It's for your protection," Hyojin stated.

"I understand that, but it's a bit strange. We're not at the palace and people don't know who I am," Namjoon addressed. "Won't the owner or even others here find it odd that I have a guard outside my door?"

"That is true..." Heeyeon murmured.

"I don't feel too comfortable leaving you alone," Solji admitted. Namjoon only smiled, straightening his posture with confidence.

"I'll be fine tonight. If I don't feel safe, I'll call for an angel," Namjoon reasoned. Solji remained stuck on the issue, worrying over the King. "How about I have one for three hours?"

"Better." Solji finally relaxed.

"I can do it." You volunteered.

"It's settled!" Namjoon grinned. The other angels smiled and looked grateful. Each of them wanted to fall asleep on a proper bed already. While they cheered and slowly filtered themselves into rooms, you connected eyes with Namjoon in the hall. This will be exciting.


	29. Goodnight

Ch.28

You're thankful that Namjoon's room was at the end of the hall. The rest of the angels were a good distance away and you knew how tired they all had to be. The moment they sit on an actual bed they're going to be out for a long time. They'll sleep well and deep enough where you didn't need to feel too paranoid talking to Namjoon. He kept his door open as he laid down on his bed, sighing in pure relief. He wasn't in a cramped carriage nor on the dirt floor. This was pure bliss to him. He didn't care if the bed was a bit stiff, it was the most comfortable thing he's slept on for an entire month.

It made you giggle softly with how happy he was to finally have a pillow. He rolled around his bed like a child, kicking his legs in the air. You thought it was completely adorable to watch him acting like this. Sometimes guarding him didn't even feel like a task. He made it too fun to feel like a job. Namjoon looked up at you, sitting as he held his pillow close to his chest. He was grinning at you before climbing out of his bed. Where was he going? He poked his head out of the door, making sure no one was outside before pulling you in. He shut the door and went back to his bed with a happy sigh. You smiled to see his dimples so prominent in his cheeks.

"We're finally alone." Namjoon mentioned.

"We are." You giggled. "Is there anything you wanted to talk about?" You tilted your head as he crawled back on the bed.

"Anything." Namjoon smiled. "I would have planned something romantic if I weren't exhausted." He closed his eyes, yawning. He shook his head and you could tell he wouldn't be awake for long. His eyelids were heavy, wanting to shut for hours.

"I can let you sleep if you want." You suggested. Namjoon opened his eyes immediately, shaking his head as he reached his hand out to you.

"No, don't leave," He pleaded. "Come sit with me. We'll talk about our future again and hold each other."

"Is that what you want to do, my King?" You grinned as you inched closer. Namjoon sighed, giving you a small frown. He didn't like hearing it one bit even though you weren't necessarily saying anything wrong. "Namjoon, I mean."

"Come here." Namjoon opened his arms up to you.

Your grin grew even more as you ran over to him. Practically jumping into the bed with him, you wrapped your arms over his shoulders. They stayed on him loosely in case you needed to separate from him. Namjoon on the other hand always did what he wanted. His arms were tight around your waist, wanting to pull you closer than you already were. He was quick to start kissing your face. The moment the two of you were alone, the both of you were free to do as you wanted. You blushed at each of his affectionate actions, butterflies going loose in your stomach. They were still there and you didn't know if they would ever go away.

Namjoon placed his lips against yours, his hands clutching your back tightly. There was a strong sense of longing from the way he held you. Slowly your arms began to pull his chest closer to yours. His lips against yours always felt so right. The way your lips would tingle with every peck. Namjoon carefully began to hover over you as the kiss grew more heated. You were feeling a mix of things that it made you pull away from the kiss. Something about this felt different. His hot breath fanned out on your skin, making your heart race. Swallowing hard, you felt your throat was dry from nerves. Why were you nervous?

Though you were feeling strange, Namjoon was lost in his own actions. Namjoon trailed his kisses down to your neck, shivers running down your spine. His lips were wet against your skin and eventually you felt his tongue. You brought your hands to Namjoon's shoulders as he began to suck on your neck. For some reason your entire body was feeling hot and sensitive. You weren't completely out of breath, but you were breathing heavily. Gripping Namjoon's shoulders, you didn't quite have control when a sound left your lips. The moan was soft but enough to startle you.

"N-Namjoon, stop." You pushed him away, your hands staying on his shoulders as you collected yourself. Namjoon was panting as he stared at you underneath him. Pink swollen lips and a reddish mark on your neck. His gaze was dark for a few seconds before blinking to himself. He got off you, looking at you in worry.

"Is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?" Namjoon questioned in a low voice. You brought your hand up to your neck, not really knowing what to say. It felt...nice.

"No, it's fine. I just...wasn't expecting that." You were struggling to keep eye contact with him. You didn't quite know what was wrong with you. Namjoon grabbed your hand away from your neck, pressing his lips against your knuckles.

"We can just hold each other and talk for tonight," He suggested. Your eyes slowly met his again, your heart leaping up to your throat. All you could do was nod before readjusting on the bed with him.

Your mind couldn't get over what occurred though. He's kissed you many times already and even your neck in the past yet tonight felt different. There was no one else in the room with you guys. Usually there was always a time limit to how long you two could be alone together or a bunch of angels around, but not this time. It was something you never experienced in your life. A part of you was a little scared and another side was craving for more. You didn't know what to think of it. You spent most of your time in your head, replaying what happened as Namjoon eventually fell asleep. He was snoring softly now that he was officially out. He must be tired from this whole day.

Carefully removing yourself from his arms, you yawned to yourself. You were ready to go to bed yourself. Grabbing the quilt, you covered Namjoon's body to make sure he would stay warm. He looked so peaceful as he slept. It was how you liked it. You'll make sure to protect him with your entire life. Leaning down, you kissed his forehead gently. Once you were satisfied with how cozy he looked, you finally left his room to join the angels. You were put in the room with the other three youngest. They were sleeping soundly as you came in. Dropping onto the bed, you laid next to Hwayoung. Hyelin and Jeonghwa were on the next bed with their legs already tangled. You smiled softly as you closed your eyes until you felt an arm wrap around you.

"Goodnight," Hwayoung mumbled tiredly. You were startled at first but relaxed immediately.

"Goodnight."

*~*

Waking up in a bed was the best feeling ever. Finally you didn't have a mouth full of dirt or wake up with a bug on your nose. You could have cried from happiness. Not to mention, your body wasn't aching one bit! Jeonghwa was already jumping around the room and in a bright mood. Hwayoung and you sat up simultaneously, yawning together as Jeonghwa pulled Hyelin out of the bed. You would have laughed at unnie, but you were still pretty content with your rest. If you continue to get to sleep in proper beds while traveling through the mountains then you don't mind the long travel one bit. More time with Namjoon and less bugs staring you in the eye!

"Aish, you have no manners!" Hyelin groaned. She scratched the back of her head, wincing as she got onto her feet.

"Go check on the others." Hwayoung stretched her arms over her head.

"I'm on it!" Jeonghwa rushed out of the door.

It sounded like she bumped into someone in the hall. You were fixing up your hair as Solji stepped in with a smile. She laughed right away to see Hyelin looking out of it. At least Hwayoung and you were more put together. Solji was about to speak before getting interrupted by Jeonghwa's loud voice. The maknae was banging on their door, demanding to be let in. It was opened by Heeyeon and suddenly Jeonghwa became quiet. Solji pursed her lips, shaking her head as she closed the door. That thankfully muted out most of the noises the maknae was creating. Hwayoung and you were on your feet as Solji sighed.

"Is Hyojin unnie awake?" Hyelin asked.

"Heeyeon made it happen." Solji almost shivered. "But anyway, make sure to work hard today. I'll be asking what the owner wants assistance with soon enough."

"We're not helping right away?" You pressed the hairpin into your braid. There was soft knocking on the door causing everyone's eyes to travel towards the door. It certainly wouldn't be any of the angels with how much ruckus they caused from this morning alone. Solji put her hand on her belt as she opened the door again. Standing there was Namjoon, peering his head in curiously. All of you relaxed and flashed smiles at him.

Something about seeing him made your heart do flips. He hadn't even said anything and you felt yourself getting shy. He looked so handsome this morning. He wasn't wearing his gat nor was his hair in a bun. His long hair was loose with his bangs brushed to the side. Namjoon smiled brightly, his dimples appearing as all of you bowed. For some reason your mind kept flashing back to last night. Just the way everything felt was hitting you harshly. Gulping, you did your best to pretend everything was okay. You're definitely okay. It's not like your skin felt like it was on fire from embarrassment or anything. That was certainly not the case.

"Hello, is it alright if I visit a shop this morning?" Namjoon asked. Solji tilted her head, noticing him carrying a pouch of money. You were finally beginning to get a hold of your thoughts. "I'll take my shadows with me."

"I suppose. We'll be here when you get back." Solji nodded, stepping away as she motioned the two of you to start following Namjoon. You hesitated for a quick second before rushing over with Hwayoung.

Namjoon smiled with how easy that was. He held the pouch close to his chest as Hwayoung and you walked by his side. The dumpling shop wasn't too far of a walk. You just hoped the woman was out instead of that boy. That would make things a lot easier. As you were walking with the two, you brushed a few loose strands behind your ear. That little action alone accidentally caused you to touch your neck. You jolted to feel a certain spot so tender. That's strange. You kept your fingers there and bit your lip in worry. The only thing you could remember causing this was the little session you had with Namjoon. Did he know this would happen?

You kept walking with the two, leaving your hand to cover the tender spot. You were walking around self consciously which wasn't something you were used to. Somehow you were so worried over this little spot on your neck. Did Namjoon leave a mark? Glancing at Hwayoung, you contemplated bringing it up to her. You were about to ask her if there was anything on your neck until you realized something. Hwayoung knows what it's like to be in a relationship. What if Seungwon ever did the same to her? She would quickly realize the King and you were behaving inappropriately together. D*mn it, you're screwed. This didn't feel fair.

What if you asked Namjoon? No, that was a bad idea. You didn't want to bother him and besides, you didn't want him to believe you hated what happened last night. It was embarrassing to admit that you enjoyed it. It looks like you'll just suffer then. Sighing to yourself, you walked sluggishly into the dumpling shop with them. Namjoon was calling out for someone as Hwayoung knocked her knuckles against the door frame. The three of you stood inside the shop with no one else until the woman finally appeared. She smiled widely to see you all in front of her like promised. Behind her though was the young boy who only scoffed. He still didn't seem to fond of you guys which was fair.

"You're back! Aigoo, you're so handsome with your hair down." The old woman fawned over Namjoon. The King smiled, acting bashful in front of her but giving quick glares to the boy when she wasn't looking.

"We came here to give you the payment like we said." Namjoon held out the pouch to her. The woman took it into her hands, blinking at it in surprise. The weight must have appeared shocking to her. Imagine if she knew how much wealth he truly had. She opened the bag and gasped, looking back at Namjoon as if she had seen a ghost.

"I figured you must be a wealthy noble from the capital, but this is—my goodness!" She laughed, tying the pouch closed. "This is more than double, you generous boy."

"It's for all the trouble we caused," Namjoon said.

"Trouble? Not at all!" She scoffed, setting the money aside. "Let me get you some more dumplings to take with you."

"More? Are you sure?" Hwayoung's brows jumped.

"These are on the house!" The woman laughed. "Don't worry about it one bit!"

"Oh, thank you..." Hwayoung was stunned.

Namjoon grinned, bowing with Hwayoung while your eyes were stuck on the boy. He rolled his eyes as he watched his grandmother work to pack food. With how much she was putting in a bag, it could feed all the angels. Hwayoung was easily getting overwhelmed compared to Namjoon who was cheering the woman on. The woman happily chatted with Namjoon as if she wanted him to stay here for as long as she could keep him. Hwayoung was already nibbling on a dumpling, accepting the situation. You were the only one with your mind on other things. It wasn't long before the young boy noticed you staring at him intensely. He furrowed his brows, slightly alarmed with the way you were looking at him. Taking in a breath, you walked over to him.

"Tell me. Is there anything on my neck?" You pointed to the tender spot. The boy was lost but checked like you had asked him. "Is it a bad mosquito bite?"

"Do you think that _looks_ like a mosquito bite?" The boy stared at you to check if you were being serious. You were squirming out of panic.

"D*mn, there is a mark." You frowned. "Tell me what it does look like."

"Do you really want me to explain?"

"Fine! Just tell me if it could pass off as the doing of a mosquito." You looked at him hopefully.

"Uh...unless that man right there is the mosquito." The boy snorted. Blushing bright red, you glared at this child. How did he know? You were quick to cover your neck again. If he could tell then that meant it was obvious to everyone else. "So I'm right about you messing around with that guy? He's kind of full of himself."

"He's sweet and kind!" You whispered in a huff, ready to turn around until you had to add one more thing, "Something you know nothing about!" He only rolled his eyes again as you whined to yourself.

"Thank you for the dumplings. We'll eat them well." Namjoon told the woman with a charming smile. You arrived at his side as the old woman held out a bag of dumplings. Hwayoung was quick to take it to the woman's surprise. She turned to hold out another and you took this bag. Again, the old woman blinked at the sight in confusion. "They're stronger than me." Namjoon shrugged with a sigh. "Alright ladies, let's go."

Hwayoung and you walked out the shop first. You both waited outside for the King, chuckling at what he told the old woman. He wasn't too far off with you two being stronger than him. You honestly wouldn't be surprised if you were. Namjoon waved at the old woman one last time before his eyes landed on the teenage boy. Namjoon didn't want to see the teen, but he kept seeing the boy doing weird things from the corner of his eye. His brows knitted together to see the boy mimicking kisses in a mocking way. What was the child's problem? Namjoon scoffed to himself, walking out to join the two of you back to the Inn. He doesn't want to deal with that kid. You guys paid back and got more dumplings in return. That's all that matters.

Namjoon did a lot of the talking on the way back. Most of your replies were short and quiet with how nervous you were. Your mind was still stuck on the mark that was apparently so obvious. Though you were internally whining in your head, you made sure to keep a smile on the outside. Pretend everything was alright even though you've had your hand on your neck longer than what was considered normal. If anyone asks, you slept wrong. But even that was incredibly stupid. Weeks of the dirt ground and now you finally get a bed! You couldn't be ridiculous. As you struggled, Hwayoung and Namjoon somehow started bickering over Seungwon. At least things were still normal.

Soon the three of you spotted the angels outside of the Inn. They were digging and pulling out plants. Is this the work they're going to have you guys do? Keeping your shoulders up to your head, you walked with them over to the girls. Solji wiped her forehead when she saw you guys. Namjoon looked around at all of them as Hwayoung and you set down the bags of dumplings. Heeyeon was quick to drop her shovel, rushing over in excitement. Hyelin suddenly appeared behind Hwayoung which freaked the poor girl out. They were rubbing their hands until Hyojin grabbed their belts and pulled them back. Solji and Jeonghwa were still working compared to these two.

"What do you think you two are doing?" Hyojin asked.

"Food. Eating! Unnie, please." Hyelin thrashed her arms around.

"I deserve this after my hard work!" Heeyeon stomped her foot.

"You have been working for less than five minutes." Hyojin narrowed her eyes on her.

"I mean, they're fresh." Namjoon shrugged as he opened a bag. "Feel free to have some."

"Yes! Oh, my King!" Heeyeon collapsed onto her knees. "You are this nation's pride!"

"Unnie is..." Hwayoung pursed her lips.

"Something else!" You finished, allowing the dumplings to get devoured.

Each of the angels were given three dumplings. That seemed fair and even then, there were plenty of extras to eat. Solji figured they could be used when traveling to the next village wherever that might be. She'll have to ask around. Today was the last day here which was a bit sad to hear. You were so glad to interact with people again. Now you'll be seeing trees and rocks until you all stumble upon the next village which couldn't come soon enough. There should be a good amount to go through before you guys arrive to Lady Eunchae's home. It would still take a long time to make it over there which you didn't mind in the slightest. You had your own reasons for not minding.

Namjoon sat on a tree stump as he watched all the angels finishing up their dumplings and returning to work. Hwayoung and you were given the job of chopping up wood for the owner's use. The rest were forced to level out the extra land the owner had. He wanted to expand his Inn so the angels were working hard on repaying their debts. Hyelin shoved her last dumpling in her mouth, almost choking. Solji sighed heavily while Hyojin made fun of how loud Hyelin chewed. Namjoon chuckled as he nibbled on a dumpling. He didn't have to do any work and he wasn't expected to. None of you could ask him to work. Let him stay comfortable.

He got to sit in the shade with plenty of food at his side and his pouch full of water. All he needed to do was cheer you guys on and not move from his spot. After this, Solji promised to take you all out to eat. There was a place she found where all of you could eat proper meals and drink. Not too much, but maybe just one cup of wine to celebrate making it to the mountains. That sounded like a great idea to you so you worked as hard as you could. The angels didn't mind this set up, but Namjoon slowly found himself getting bored as he watched you all work.

"Can I help?" Namjoon stood up.

"No, no! Sit and relax." Solji shook her head.

"I've relaxed enough. I think I can handle some work!" Namjoon rushed to grab a small gardening tool he saw laying around. As soon as he lifted it up with excitement, the metal piece went flying into the tall grass. Jeonghwa dodged it and looked at Solji with panic. Namjoon hadn't seem to realize as he smiled at Solji.

"Er, I don't think that could help you with anything," Hyojin said. Namjoon furrowed his brows, looking at the tool in his hands. Hwayoung and you held in laughter when his brows jumped high. All he had in his hand was a wooden handle.

You felt bad and at the same time, a few giggles slipped past your lips. Hwayoung tried to cough to mask her laughter. The two of you were acting the exact same to Namjoon's dismay. He went back to sitting on the tree stump, drinking his water. He'll be just fine right there. You glanced over at him a couple times as you chopped wood. Mainly to check if he was okay with doing nothing after all. Plus, he looked incredibly adorable. You wanted to walk up to him and give him a big kiss. You held in the urge though as Hwayoung split a log in half. Lifting up your shoulder, you tried to cover the mark as Hwayoung went to retrieve another log of wood.

Actually, you began to wonder if you could use this moment to your advantage. The rest of the angels were away from you guys. They wouldn't be able to hear the two of you talking. Especially if you mention Seungwon to Hwayoung. Her voice will be incredibly quiet to avoid getting heard. You never truly knew how far Hwayoung has gone with Seungwon besides kissing. Smiling at her, you watched Hwayoung set down the log on a stump. She was about to lift the axe until she noticed you staring at her with a strange smile. She lowered the axe as her brows knitted at you.

"What is it?"

"I've been meaning to ask, but..." You smiled too much for her liking. "How far did Seungwon and you go?"

"W-What!?" Hwayoung wanted to shriek. Her voice practically disappeared as her eyes grew twice their size. Her entire face turned into a deep shade of red from your question alone.

"Anything I don't know?" You wiggled your brows.

"You...d*mn it, (F/n)." Hwayoung shook her head, striking the log in front of her. "You're embarrassing."

"I want to know!" You pleaded. "Like have you two ever..."

"(F/n)." Her face was on fire. She could barely focus on chopping wood anymore. "Seungwon and I...only a handful of times, okay?"

"Excuse me?" You scoffed, inching closer to her. "A handful of times? When? Why am I hearing about this just now? And what exactly did you do a handful of times?"

"If you don't know then you'll find out eventually." Hwayoung rolled her eyes.

"Has...what he ever done to you left a mark?" You questioned as she raised her brow.

"If you're suggesting love bites then yes. You've seen them on palace women who think they're being sneaky with eunuchs." Hwayoung chuckled.

"Oh!" You gasped. Namjoon left that on you? Biting your lip, you blushed as you felt the mark on your neck itch. That meant she would recognize it in a second and the other angels too. Just your luck.

Now you were acting extremely careful to make sure you didn't expose your neck to anybody. The next time you get to be alone with Namjoon you're going to tell him not to leave those love bites anywhere visible. This is only stressing you out more than necessary. You just wanted to get the work done already, eat with the others, and then call it a night. Solji wanted all of you to sleep early since you'll all be leaving this village before the sun fully rises. She wanted to get a head start on the day as always. Honestly, the faster everyone goes to bed and doesn't notice the mark then you'll be fine. You just need to survive this day and hope it fades fast.

Painful hours passed but you were all able to complete exactly what the owner wanted. He appeared pleased with the land, giving Solji a pouch of money for all the work. With everything you guys did, it was certainly worth more than staying two nights at his Inn. He gave enough money for you all to eat some food. The afternoon had passed and Solji wanted to make sure you guys got back by evening. Everyone was cleaned up as they followed Solji over to a large looking cabin. As soon as you entered, you were greeted with the scent of cooked meat and loud shouts from drunk patrons. This place sure felt inviting. You were a bit surprised that Solji chose this place, but you suppose it wasn't too bad.

The eight of you sat down on the floor at empty tables. Pushing them together, you all had your shoes off and were getting comfortable. Going to this place is just a one time thing so you can't really complain. It may be more suspicious than where the guards and officers go to drink, but you had to admit the capital had a higher level of class. Namjoon sat across from Solji with Hwayoung and you having him sandwiched in between. That's when it occurred to you that maybe sitting next to him wasn't the best idea. While the girls were getting distracted with conversation, you could feel his hand creeping onto your thigh. You looked at Namjoon, but he was looking at everything else.

Well, fine then. You stayed quiet and tried not to touch your hair. You let it down today in hopes of it relieving some stress. With your hair in the way, less chances of anyone spotting the mark. There was no proof on your body but Namjoon better not make it too obvious. Placing your hand on his, you had to push him away from how paranoid he was making you. He can't wait until the two of you are in private again. You sighed to yourself as you looked over at the other angels. They were all chatting loudly until you saw Heeyeon suddenly become quiet. She put her head down, trying to hide for some reason. That wasn't like her at all. You leaned over to tap Hwayoung, pointing over at Heeyeon.

"Why is she acting like that?" Hwayoung started to scan the area.

"What's going on?" Namjoon asked.

"Heeyeon unnie," You answered before looking over to her. "Unnie, what's wrong?"

"Hide me." She hissed.

"Why?" Hwayoung narrowed her eyes on her.

"You know how I got a bunch of money? Well, the men I won it from are here." Heeyeon chuckled awkwardly.

"What's this?" Solji turned to her. Heeyeon winced as the conversation caught the attention of the others. Suddenly they were all looking at Heeyeon, making her want to shrivel up.

"Don't look over at the five men who just entered. They're most likely still furious with me," Heeyeon whispered.

"Good God, what did you do?" Hyojin frowned.

"Did you steal their money?" Hyelin tilted her head.

"I won it!" Heeyeon glared at her.

"You must have cheated if they're going to be mad at the sight of you." Jeonghwa shrugged. "Just don't pay attention to any of them."

"Oh, easier said than done." Heeyeon scoffed. She kept talking with her hands hovering over her eyes. She looked more noticeable that way rather than blending in with the background.

"Don't worry, Unnie! I'll beat them up for you!" Hyelin giggled, raising up her arm to flex her bicep.

"Don't be reckless." Solji shook her head.

"Let's just order already." Namjoon sighed. The others slowly began to agree, looking for one of the workers. There was a woman serving a table wine so Solji figured she could call after her once she was done.

Everyone was fine and relaxed, completely forgetting the worry that Heeyeon was feeling. The girl was gritting her teeth as the men walked inside. They were looking for a place to sit themselves and she just hoped they wouldn't look her way. Though the other angels had moved on, Hwayoung and you glanced at each other. Heeyeon was still making visible facial expressions. If someone like her was acting this nervous then maybe these guys were threats. What the hell did she do to piss them off so much? Cheating could annoy anyone and it could also be that she was a woman. Temperamental men never seemed to have logical reasoning for their emotions.

They were coming closer so you stopped looking at them. Hwayoung kept her eyes forward as well, but the both of you were alert. Hwayoung already had her eye looking over at her boot. There was most likely a hidden dagger. You were only carrying the sword on your belt, but nothing else. All your other weapons were left inside the room. That was a mistake. The King is with you and you can't risk putting him in danger because of Heeyeon's poor gamble. Heeyeon was like stone when the men came near the table. They appeared to smirk at the sight of all the woman until their eyes landed on Heeyeon. Great. Hwayoung and you were tense as they all began to look in her direction.

"Hey, you." The large brute growled. You wanted to cringe at how barbaric the men were. Everyone at the table looked over at the group of five men. Now the angels slowly had their hands hovering over their weapons, but not yet. Those were to remain concealed until absolutely necessary. Though this was Heeyeon's fault, it was the King you all needed to protect first. "I told you I didn't want to see your face anywhere near here anymore!" He growled.

"I'll be gone by tomorrow," Heeyeon mumbled.

"Exactly! We're only trying to eat so leave us be." Jeonghwa motioned them away. You frowned at the way she was acting. The men were growing infuriated as they stared at her, their faces turning red. "Go enjoy your food and let us enjoy ours."

"Stop." Hyojin put her hand on Jeonghwa's shoulder.

"You better listen to her," The man said gruffly.

"Is that a threat?" Jeonghwa scoffed. Hyelin scrunched her face up, wanting to kick Jeonghwa from under the table. Solji remained calm in order to see where things were going. There was still a chance to deescalate this, but that window was closing quickly.

"How's this for an answer?" The man turned around, grabbing a cup out from a person's hand. Jeonghwa furrowed her brows until the drink was splashed into her face. All of you looked at Jeonghwa in surprise as she scoffed again. She was stunned too, wiping her eyes and gritting her teeth tightly. The maknae didn't know what to say anymore as she looked at the men laughing at her.

"This is bullsh*t." Namjoon glared at the barbarians.

"You know what?" Hyojin stood up, grabbing an entire plate of food from a worker. The food went flying immediately in the men's faces. "You're lucky I didn't throw the plate with it." You held in your gasp compared to Hyelin who laughed. Meat and vegetables were slowly falling off their faces and clothes. It was an amusing sight while it boiled their blood.

"Alright, B*tch." They looked ready to kill.

"We're screwed." Heeyeon clicked her tongue.

"King, please leave." Hwayoung instructed.

"Get them, Girls." Namjoon scooted away as the six of you stood up with Hyojin.

This wasn't how you expected dinner to go, but that's fine. This was just a little annoyance all of you stumbled upon. They clearly all thought they were going to win for whatever reason their pea sized brain came up with. Little did they know that they made the greatest mistake of their entire lives. The first one to charge at Hyojin had to learn the hard way. She dodged him in an instant, smashing the plate on his head. She was quick to shove her knee into his gut before slamming her elbow into his back. He was groaning on the ground, but that was only a taste that Hyojin wanted to demonstrate to these big scary men. Let's see how long they last.

"No weapons, Ladies. They won't make it past a second," Solji shouted. All of you nodded at her instructions as you went after the men. The goal wasn't to kill them, but rather leave them unconscious. Knocking them out worked just fine as a solution. Other patrons were rushing out as Hyelin kicked a man onto a table full of food and drinks. The workers were forced to hide away while Namjoon kept himself to the wall to watch the brawl.

"Who do you think you are throwing a drink in my face!?" Jeonghwa screeched as she twisted the man's arm. He grunted, trying to grab at her only for Jeonghwa to force a bend in his arm that wasn't natural. The man hollered as Namjoon whistled at the sight. As the man hunched over, Jeonghwa took a solid stance before kicking him in the face. "I am a _LADY!!!_ " Blood was spit out by the man, his tooth five feet away from him as he passed out.

Namjoon clapped his hands, looking around to see how the other girls were doing. He knew they would be handling themselves just fine and he was right. The man who was taken down temporarily by Hyojin made the foolish mistake of trying to take her on again. He was swinging his arms thoughtlessly, Hyojin laughing in his face as she escaped every single one. Finally Hyojin had enough playing around and kicked the man a few steps back for distance. He smirked, thinking he still had a chance when Solji was quick strike his neck with her hand. Her movements were quick as she hit specific points on his body, smiling as the man collapsed and drooled. Pressure points were Solji's specialty.

That was the army the King had protecting him. Namjoon couldn't help but feel pride as he saw his angels breaking bones and making the men go unconscious from pain. He smiled warmly as his eyes went over to Hyelin. Her guy got back on his feet, reaching for a plate. His only plan was to smash it onto Hyelin's head but that went away when he struggled to find her. He looked around before realizing the plate was stolen from his hands. Hyelin tossed it high up in the air, taking her time to crouch on the floor and swipe her leg at the man's feet. He fell on his hands and knees as she grabbed the plate, throwing it back up to the ceiling.

Namjoon was loving the style as Hyelin threw a small stool onto the man's back. He almost fell completely on the ground, the air getting knocked out of him. He was slowly getting back on his feet as Hyelin tossed the plate up again. With a smile on her face, she jumped onto the man's shoulders and locked her legs around his neck. Hyelin turned her body back with force since the man was so weak by this point. She placed her hands on the ground and threw him against the wall. It happened so quick that Hyelin managed to catch the plate again before it hit the ground. She pulled her arm back, releasing it to hit the man straight in the face. That was enough to knock him out.

"YES!!" Namjoon threw his fists in the air. He felt his adrenaline pumping on the side lines. Hyelin bowed for her performance just as Namjoon's view of her was blocked. He suddenly had a large man in front of him, giving him a dirty look. "Excuse me?"

"You're with them."

"Pointing out the obvious?" Namjoon crossed his arms, smirking to see he was frustrating the man. "Go ahead. Lay a hand on me. I _dare_ you."

Namjoon stood calmly as the man reached to grab the him by his throat. Unfortunately for the brute, he didn't realize he was messing with a King. He couldn't get a step closer to the King even if he tried. He was suddenly pulled back while all Namjoon did was smile at him. Hwayoung and you were quick to protect the King. What was he doing starting something with this guy? No matter, Hwayoung and you will finish the fight. He stumbled from when you both pulled him back, making Hwayoung laugh. She immediately kicked the front of his throat as you went behind. Jumping onto a table, you leaped into your kick as your leg came down on the back of his neck. You landed with more grace compared to him. Standing up, you grabbed his hair and pulled him back as he got onto his feet.

"What the f*ck are you women!?"

Hwayoung and you shared a devious smirk. There was going to be no mercy towards this man. He tried harming the King after all. The two of you lifted him over your back, flipping him together onto a table. The wooden platform collapsed with the amount of force thrown onto it. The man was wincing from the pain, looking at the two of you as if you were some sort of demon. Hwayoung and you dragged him over to Namjoon, the two of you grabbing an arm to twist however you pleased. He was squirming like a fish out of water as he faced Namjoon.

"Who would have thought?" You smiled.

"Not him!" Hwayoung laughed.

"Wrap this up, Girls." Namjoon requested. Hwayoung released the man's arm as he grunted, but he wasn't free yet. You took his arm behind him, shoving it tightly between his shoulder blades. He was stiff as Hwayoung took a hold of his head to sharply twist it at a certain angle. Clean and quick. Letting go, you watched him fall forward onto the floor.

"Don't cause trouble," Hwayoung scolded.

"You have to admit that was fun." Namjoon grinned.

"A tad..." You smiled at Namjoon. He stared at you warmly in return.

"I love you...girls! Y-You girls are great!" Namjoon coughed. Hwayoung only laughed, shaking her head at him as you gave him a warning look.

Four of the five men were completely taken care of. There was only one left and Heeyeon was currently handling him. The rest of you could rest on the sides. They were all making their way over to Namjoon, making sure he was safe. He only laughed since he wasn't the one fighting. All of you didn't even have a single scratch on your bodies. These brutes really didn't know how to fight. They couldn't make things interesting and get a single punch in. It's better that way though so you can't really complain. The seven of you were silently cheering on Heeyeon who had the man ready to fall over. You were surprised he was still standing on his own two feet.

"I'll say this one last time to you. I. Did. Not. Cheat." Heeyeon huffed. She held the man's head in her hands before quickly butting her head against his. Right away, his body slipped onto the floor. "When will you get that through your thick head?" She dusted her hands off.

"Hell yeah!" The angels all cheered along with Namjoon. All of you were proud unlike the workers who were thoroughly terrified of everything that just happened. It's one thing to witness a fight and another to see women take on men so easily.

"Well, we have enough dumplings for tonight. Let's go." Solji sighed. "We've caused enough trouble tonight."

"That was fun." Jeonghwa hummed.

"Next time, don't upset men who don't know how to lose." Hyojin looked over at Heeyeon.

"And where do those exist?" Heeyeon scoffed.

"I just want to eat a dumpling and go to sleep." Hyelin rubbed her forehead.

"That sounds good to me too." Hwayoung nodded her head as she chuckled lightly. The eight of you neared the Inn, ready to dig into the dumplings that were left in the rooms. You all crowded the halls, everyone getting two dumplings each. They ran out fast but it was fine. As the girls were going into their rooms to sleep for the night, Solji walked over to Namjoon. He was about to head into his own room after motioning you over. You stood by the door frame as she stopped him and looked at you.

"Your Majesty, I have to admit that I am bit paranoid after that fight." Solji frowned.

"I'll be here to protect him," You stated. She kept her lips pursed, taking in a breath as she thought.

"Do you want Angel (F/n) to spend the night in my room?" Namjoon tilted his head.

"Any angel of your choosing. Whoever you trust the most." Solji smiled. She felt more relieved to have an angel left with him all night.

"Then (F/n)." Namjoon nodded to himself. You kept a still face despite your heart pounding heavily against your chest. The two of you will be spending the night together? Solji approved it a lot quicker than you would have imagined.

She wished the two of you a goodnight before slipping away to her own room. Was it that easy? You looked over at Namjoon to see his large smile. He motioned you to enter the room, watching your slow steps inside. You didn't know what to think about the situation whatsoever. For some reason your mind had gone entirely blank. Pressure laid on your chest, making it slightly harder to breathe. Not to mention your palms were a bit sweaty. Why were you so nervous? You couldn't understand why you were behaving this way. You weren't even nervous fighting those men yet being alone in a room with Namjoon the whole night had you feeling lightheaded. A rush of excitement was making it hard to think as you stood shyly in front of him.

Namjoon seemed to have a plan inside his head. He walked towards you with his hands behind his back, staring at you as if he was admiring art. A light blush spread across your cheeks to be under this type of gaze. It made your throat dry and you felt your nerves were all over the place as he put his fingers underneath your chin. Namjoon guided your lips to his, moving softly against you. His actions were slow and loving. Your heart was swelling while you relaxed under his touch. His scent, touch, and actions were making you melt. Everything about him was making you feel lost in a dream. He was utterly intoxicating. Carefully, Namjoon pulled away and wrapped his arms around your waist.

"My Queen...I want to have you tonight," He whispered. You swallowed at his words, looking over his eyes.

"Have me?" You repeated. "Like a royal concubine?"

"Not like that." Namjoon shook his head. "We are lovers and I want to share this moment with you. No one else." He rested his forehead against yours, noses touching lightly.

"...if you want to have me, my King, then—"

"No. I want you to have me as well for who I am." Namjoon held you tightly. "I will treat you with all the love in the world. Do you trust me?" His eyes looked deep into yours, pleading you. The candle in the room was slowly dimming as you stared at Namjoon.

"I...I trust you."


	30. Patient King

Ch.29

You love Kim Namjoon. You trust him. That was what you tried to ponder last night. If your feelings were true and deeper than lust. You couldn't act on anything superficial, but you felt safe with Namjoon. This had to be based on something with foundation. Accepting him meant a lot of things for a number of reasons. The two most important things being that your relationship with Namjoon has gone further. The other being that if anyone knew, your status would drop incredibly low. Now that you've been with someone before marriage then you wouldn't be considered as valuable. That didn't matter too much to you seeing as you intended to stay with Namjoon until the end. He was yours and you were his.

Last night Namjoon stayed true to his words. All his actions were loving and full of care. Not once did he ever treat you as an object. He was patient with you when you needed time. He was slow and loving all the way through. You only felt yourself fall deeper for him. It also made you grow more protective over the King. You've had him in a way that no one else will ever experience and you refuse to let others see him the way you did. The both of you were vulnerable to each other, making love rather than searching for lust to fill a need. You were happy with how your first time went and couldn't choose anyone better to have it be with.

You woke up warm in Namjoon's arms. He held you close to his chest underneath the heavy quilts. You didn't want to leave with how at ease you felt. You were happy like this, but you knew you couldn't stay like this forever. The angels were in the same building, popping your happy bubble. If catching Namjoon and you holding hands would get them startled then you couldn't imagine what they would say to this. That's the last thing you needed. It was just a little hard convincing yourself to fully wake up as well as get out of bed. You loved it inside your little bubble. Why would you want this dream to end? But you knew better than to say that.

Attempting to move Namjoon's arms off you failed. He only pulled you tighter to his chest, hugging you as if he wanted to keep you safe. It startled you at first, but you soon giggled. Namjoon wasn't asleep like you thought he was. He's only pretending. Shaking your head, you could feel him pretending to wake up for you. He took in a deep breath, tightening his grip on you. This man. Eventually his hold on you loosened but only enough to let you breathe comfortably. You could feel his lips graze themselves on your bare shoulder, leaving gentle kisses all over your skin. They felt nice. It felt nice being with him like this. Namjoon leaned over to kiss your cheek.

"Good morning, my Queen," Namjoon said in a deep and husky voice. A shiver ran down your spine, enjoying this more than you should.

"Good morning, my King." You turned your head to peck his lips.

"I want to have you longer like this," Namjoon whispered. He snuggled his face into the crook of your neck, sighing from pure bliss. "I also want to have you again. All to myself like last night." He purred.

"Namjoon, we have to get up." You chuckled lightly to hear him whine. He wanted to fight this, but he couldn't. He finally released you, allowing you to get up and put on your clothes again. "And you should get dressed too. It'd be odd if they come in to see me fully dressed while you aren't."

"If they didn't hear us last night then I think we're fine." Namjoon smirked only for you to give him an embarrassed glare. His teasing was not helping right now! Thankfully he got up though and apologized.

You easily put on your clothes and armor from years of doing it. It didn't take you forever to buckle each piece onto your body. Just as you were tightening your belt, you noticed Namjoon struggling to put on his own attire. You've got to be kidding. Groaning, you rushed over to help this grown man get dressed. So he knew how to do all that last night, but he can't put on his trousers without struggling? Namjoon gave you an apologetic look, blushing as you helped him with every article of clothing he had. He clearly needed to learn how to do this on his own if he ever intends on getting you into bed with him again. You already taught him once but he apparently forgot. That or he's just really bad at dressing himself. Namjoon quietly thanked you just as someone knocked on the door.

"It is Heo Solji."

"You may enter." Namjoon grabbed his gat, putting it on his head. You faced the door as Solji entered with a smile.

"Everyone is ready to go and the sun hasn't fully risen yet," She stated. "Are you ready, my King?"

"Yes, I suppose we should go off now then." Namjoon tied the ribbon underneath his chin. Solji bowed, exiting the room right away to tell the others.

You hadn't realized you were holding your breath the entire time she was in the room. You feared she would suddenly turn to you and know exactly what you did with the King last night. She never did though. She seemed oblivious and her room with the older angels was closer than the room with the younger angels. You're not going to question it at all though. The less she knows, the better. You were able to walk out peacefully with Namjoon over to the other angels. They were all outside by the time the two of you came out. Not a single one of them gave you a dirty look or even a questioning one. They smiled, asking how the King slept as usual.

"I slept _quite_ well last night. Perhaps the best sleep I've had in years." Namjoon wanted to smirk, his eyes looking at you in the corner of his eyes.

If anything, Namjoon is going to be the reason the two of you get caught. You only gave him a tight smile when you actually wanted to scream. He could have answered that any other way, but no. This man loves to tease you and practically lives on the edge of exposing your relationship with him at any second. No matter how many times you begged or even scolded him to be more careful, he did as he pleased. You figured at this point that you'll have to get used to it. As long as he doesn't actually expose his true relationship with you then everything should be fine. All the angels were content with his response, the true meaning completely flying over their heads.

You didn't really want to think too much on how they would react to the truth. That was sort of your worst nightmare at the moment. You say sort of because there is always the chance of Namjoon getting married to Lady Eunchae. If things can't go the way the two of you want then you'll be utterly heartbroken. Those were the type of thoughts that you shoved in the furthest part of your head. You didn't even want them to exist. Things are good right now. It's not perfect, but you were happy with everything you had. The angels are clueless, all eight of you are extremely close, and Namjoon loves you. That's all you could really ask for. As long as things stay this way then you're happy. Until the truth comes out then that's when you'll face it. For now, you'll walk with the rest and leave them in the dark.

The sun wasn't out like Solji said, but the sky was still a brighter color than the typical night sky. It was possible to see without the help of a lantern. Solji took the lead with her compass in hand while the rest of you walked behind her. Namjoon was centered in between, protected, and unbothered. The male walked calmly and yawned quietly. No one really talked in the beginning of the journey. They were still a bit tired which you tried to ignore. You drank water in hopes of that getting you to stay up. Really, the main thing keeping you going was the idea of getting food. You hoped the next village isn't too far away. You didn't mind the idea of causing another fight. Fighting was the perfect human interaction you needed. You were worried that you were getting rusty, but last night proved that you still had it in you.

The walk was pretty calm until the sun came up. By then, the angels were more awake and talking to each other. They were talking about all kinds of things while your stomach rumbled. Hwayoung looked at you, hearing it clearer than day. Why her of all people? You frowned as she laughed silently at you. It wasn't that funny. You shook your head, keeping your focus on marching forward just like Solji. Though Solji was starting to slow down for some reason. Looking up at the sun, you furrowed your brows. It should only be around noon so you guys haven't really walked that far. You were about to ask her when you saw exactly what she was looking at.

A shop was sitting in the middle of nowhere. Was it a halfway point? Solji read the sign as the rest of you began to smile. This place sells food! Namjoon tilted his head at the little shop, everyone watching Solji walk up to the window. She examined the place when she noticed something. A smile came onto her face immediately and you saw her introduce herself to someone inside. All of you were bouncing on your toes, rushing over the second she gave you all a nod. You could already smell the cooked vegetables inside. Solji talked with the man in charge for a bit before all of you were seated outside. Now you just have to wait for the food to be ready.

"I thought we would have to hunt for our food again!" Hyelin sighed in relief.

"Skinning them was always a pain." Hyojin huffed.

"Having food made for us is amazing!" Jeonghwa grinned. "Do you remember when the former Queen had us have dinner with the King when he was still the Crown Prince?"

"Oh! I remember that too!" Hyelin nodded her head. Everyone was clapping their hands at the memory, acting as if it were yesterday. The only one less fond of looking back on that particular day was Namjoon. He could only remember how he behaved and treated all of you. It was an unpleasant memory for him to say the least.

"The food was so amazing!" Heeyeon shouted. "I still dream about it to this day!"

"I thought it was very sweet for her Majesty to treat us like that and ask the Crown Prince personally to eat with us." Solji smiled. She turned to face Namjoon who was covering his face in embarrassment. "You were a young boy then."

"I'd rather not remember my teen years." Namjoon frowned.

"We all wish to forget our own." Hyojin chuckled.

"I remember the King storming out." Hwayoung looked over at him. Namjoon sucked in a breath as he gave everyone a tight smile. What he really wanted was to start wrestling Hwayoung, but he knew he didn't stand a chance. If he couldn't beat her when they were kids then now really wasn't looking good for him.

"That was really awkward." You looked back on it, wanting to scream. You tried to wipe Namjoon's face despite him clearly not wanting to have anything to do with any of you. He was still closed off then. It only reminded you of when you tried to wipe his tears. Well...things have certainly changed since then.

"But look at us! Much better." Namjoon pointed. "Let's forget that memory now."

All of you chuckled to see how much he wanted to bury that day. You could understand why though. Still, he's made a lot of progress since then. He's actually eating with you all without causing a scene. Not glaring at everyone or keeping to himself. His temper was a lot better too which you were grateful for. He's friendly with all the angels now and extremely friendly with you. That's one way to put it. The older angels didn't mind teasing Namjoon while you moved on to newer topics with the younger ones. Hyelin was already telling a random story that you couldn't tell was true or not. Either way, she had her dongsaengs at the edge of their seats.

Maybe you should have known her story was fake, but it had a lot of realistic elements to it. Up until she got to the part where she started fighting a dragon. At that point you were able to piece two and two together. Hwayoung was listening in, but she wasn't fooled from the start. You managed to snap out of it while Jeonghwa was getting terrified by Hyelin's dramatic interpretation. Eventually Solji scolded the girl to stop scaring the maknae already. That's when the food finally came to the table. The man started setting down the hot plates, all of you thanking him immediately for it. The food got everyone to stop talking and get ready to dig in.

The girls were eating desperately compared to Namjoon. He ate at a calmer pace, chuckling to himself with how much the rest of you craved food. Dumplings could only keep you guys going for so long. Plus, if you all needed to be ready to fight attackers then you're going to need more than three grains of rice. Namjoon ate enough to keep him happy until the night. None of you know if you'll arrive at a village but you were all prepared to perform your assigned tasks like back in the forest. The hunters of the group didn't seem to like that idea so much though. You were giggling with full cheeks when Namjoon stood up, catching everyone's attention.

"Everything okay?" Solji questioned.

"I want to use the bathroom." Namjoon pointed to the sign directing to the men's bathroom.

"Take an angel with you," Solji said. The moment she said that, the angels stuffed food in their mouths and gave him pleading looks to let them eat. The only one he had his eyes on was you.

"(F/n)." He motioned you to get up. Swallowing your food, you got onto your feet to follow him.

Namjoon walked around the shop with you following him. The bathrooms appeared to be two separated shacks, one for women and men. Namjoon knocked on the male door, but there was no response. He opened it with a smirk as you stood near the door. All you'll do is stand outside, let him finish his business, then return to join the others. Namjoon had another idea in his head from the start. Right as he saw that the area was clear of people, he grabbed your wrist and pulled you into the shack. What is he doing? Your eyes were wide, staring at him as he closed the door. He latched the door shut before placing his hands on the wall behind your head.

"You don't need to actually go to the bathroom, do you?" You frowned.

"You just figured that out?" Namjoon grinned, leaning in to peck your lips. "I got us private time."

"For five minutes at most," You stated. Namjoon took a step back, putting his hands on his belt.

"We can be fast." He suggested. Your eyes widened immediately at the words leaving his mouth. He couldn't be serious! You smacked his chest lightly, only seeing his grin get wider.

"Not in here!" You whisper yelled. Gosh, your entire face was turning hot. How could he think of trying to get intimate with you when the space is cramped and a hole where other men have done their business!?

"But I want you so badly again." Namjoon wrapped his arms around your wriggling form. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, leaving kisses for you.

"Another time." You squeaked. Placing your hands on Namjoon's shoulders, you stayed still as he drowned you with kisses. You could barely move your arms with the way he was holding you. They were folded between both of your chests, but you could still get out if you wanted. You didn't want to spend too much time in here and yet... "Namjoon, wait."

"Change your mind?" Namjoon chuckled as he turned to look you in the eye. You took out your squished arm to touch the side of his face. He smiled, leaning his hand into your warm palm. He closed his eyes gently and you felt those butterflies again. Going on your toes, you began to kiss his neck to his surprise. Namjoon stuttered as he felt you leaving your own little love bite for him.

When the two of you returned, the angels had paid and finished eating all the food. None of them even noticed how red both of your faces were. You didn't know you had that in you and Namjoon was just as shocked. Pleased as well. A soft shade of pink was on the side of his neck, but it would begin to darken with time. If Namjoon and you had all the time in the world then you know things would have gotten further. Well, you gave him something that had him left in a daze. The two of you wouldn't be able to do anything else until later at night. Getting more alone time was never guaranteed so Namjoon better be patient for the next time.

Of course, that was a hard thing to request from him. As all the angels began to walk forward with Solji again, Namjoon made sure he was standing next to you. It was one thing to have him hold your hand in secret and another to feel his hands wander on your body. None of the other angels saw as he rested his hand on your butt. Slowly, you turned your head to face him with a sharp glare. The male suddenly pretended to yawn and pull his hands away from you. Good. You would have found a way to get his hands off yourself if he pretended to ignore you like he did when he had his hand on your thigh.

That was something you were coming to realize when it came to being in a relationship with Namjoon. He was always affectionate from the start. He slowly started to become touchier the longer the two of you were together. Then ever since you gave all of yourself to him, there was little to no boundaries. That easily became clear when Solji found the place you guys would be staying for the night. Sadly there was no sight of any village so you guys would have to be outside. That meant everyone would split up as usual. Namjoon was looking at you with a smirk until he saw Hwayoung walk up to you. The smirk was wiped away immediately as he watched the exchange.

"There's no water up here in the mountains." Hwayoung stared down at her pouch. "It's best to drink your water carefully."

"Does that mean we'll have to wait until the next village?" You asked to see her nod her head. "It's okay, Hwayoungie. You can join the King and I to get firewood!"

"Really?" Hwayoung smiled as you grabbed her hands.

"Yeah!" You smiled back while Namjoon stood in the background with his eye twitching.

The King had been hoping to get more private time with you. He liked Hwayoung, but he had his moments where he wanted to tackle the girl. It was mainly due to his hurt pride from the past. Every time he wrestled Hwayoung as a kid, she would win. You would cheer the both of them on equally every time. Once Hwayoung would win, you would give her a hug. Then you would rush to Namjoon, ready to cheer him up. Now he wasn't currently looking to fight Hwayoung as a grown adult, but he certainly wouldn't turn her down if she offered. Namjoon puffed out his cheeks in annoyance, walking behind Hwayoung and you. All he wanted was alone time with you.

You didn't think much of it honestly. The only thing that ran through your mind was wanting Hwayoung to feel like she was helping the angels. Your focus was just being a good friend to Hwayoung. She looked frustrated with herself over something she had no control over. It's okay if there's no water. She can help you search for firewood and that way she'll be doing her part. You made sure to grab thin sticks and look in poor areas while Hwayoung found enough wood that would last the entire night. The quality was a lot better too. She was already smiling as she walked back over to you. Namjoon only stayed leaning against a tree, waiting for you guys to get the wood.

"You're a lot better at finding wood than me!" You gave her a pout.

"Seeing how bad you are at searching explains the problems our fires were having back in the forest." Hwayoung teased.

"Not even! The wood just sucked over there!" You shook your head.

"Whatever helps you keep your pride." She giggled as you tried to throw your twigs into her arms. "Yah! Get those things away!"

"Carry them!" You shouted with a grin. A lot of the twigs were only falling onto the ground as she avoided them. The two of you were laughing, completely forgetting Namjoon was there.

"Is that enough wood for tonight?" Namjoon raised his voice.

"Oh, yes!" You turned to him. Namjoon had his arms crossed over his chest and you could tell he wasn't too happy. Looking over at Hwayoung, the two of you were ready to leave.

Hwayoung led the way back to the others while you stayed a few steps behind to walk with Namjoon. He was in a mood so you knew you had to give him some attention. You glanced at Hwayoung a couple times to make sure it was safe before wrapping your arms around Namjoon. It was a back hug that took the male by surprise. A smile crept on his lips, no longer feeling as jealous. You let go of him just in time as you guys met up with the others. Hwayoung set down the firewood when the hunters of the group came back with birds and a squirrel. All of you sighed, but you were all prepared to tolerate it. It only made you all more determined to find a village soon again.

Everything carried on as normal. The food was eaten as you all chatted around the fire. There was a lot of laughter as well as an equal amount of bickering added in. It was all the usual before Solji clapped her hands, telling everyone to sleep for the night. There were a few groans due to the loss of comfy beds, but there wasn't anything that could be done. You were set on the first shift of staying up at night while the rest fell asleep. You had no problem with it, staying close to the fire and staying alert as they slept quietly. You could tell they were all asleep with how they were breathing. There was only one person's breathing that was being faked. Turning your head to that person, you raised a brow just as they opened their eyes at you.

He sat up with a smile now that everyone else was asleep. You shook your head playfully at him as he crawled over. Namjoon glanced at the angels before looking at you. He was careful as he made his way near you, not wanting any of the angels to wake up and ruin his plan. You stared at the King warmly, wanting to run your hands through his hair. That or put your hand against his cheek again. Poke at his dimple and give him kisses. You smiled at your thoughts by the time Namjoon crouched in front of you, grabbing your hands into his. He slowly began to stand up with you, quietly pulling you away from the others. You didn't know where he was taking you to, but you trusted him as always. He led you a good distance away from the angels, but they were still visible thanks to the fire.

"Namjoon?" You looked up at him as he pressed his lips against yours.

"I love you." His lips remained close to yours.

"I love you too." You giggled softly, knowing where this might go. "You've been patient, haven't you?"

"If you say so." Namjoon smirked, already putting his hand on your belt. You grinned at how persistent he could be. "We'll be quiet."


	31. Love

Ch.30

Namjoon has been incredibly touchy as expected. It wasn't something you necessarily minded as long as the time was appropriate. If the two of you had a small time frame then you didn't let him go further like he wanted. Only when you both had enough time to make it special. You liked them to be special though sometimes Namjoon occasionally wanted to out of pure lust. That usually got him a quick glare, but at least he's respectful overall. He'll wait for whenever you want to as well and you're surprised how nice your relationship with him has been going. Only two weeks have passed since the first time the two of you had been intimate together. The rest of the angels were all clueless so you were grateful. Luck has been on both of your sides.

You've talked about admitting it to the angels with Namjoon, but it still didn't feel like the right timing. Something about it was holding you back. A large part of it was fear even though Namjoon assured you that he would protect you. He would make sure no one would go against his command. He's the King so they have to listen to him, but that won't stop their true thoughts. All of you were so close that it was making you more anxious as the days went on. You preferred it like this. Where they're all oblivious and if you could truly have it your way, they would all be accepting. The eight of you would all be happy back at the palace too. Miles away from Lady Eunchae.

Technically you guys were still a fair distance away from her. Traveling through the mountains is a slow process especially with wanting to spend more time in villages. You guys are halfway through the second month, but there's still a third month to deal with. All the angels wanted the journey to be over with while you wanted more time with Namjoon. More time for the two of you to be secret. You didn't even want to see Lady Eunchae. You hated the idea of getting to know her face and watching how she acts. You didn't want her learning your name or having a conversation with you. Anything about your existence, you want it to stay unknown to her.

"I just want to be there already, y'know?" Jeonghwa whined.

"You have no patience. Literally, none." Hyojin sighed.

"I'm sure it's something I'll learn eventually...I just wish I learned it faster already." Jeonghwa shrugged.

"Do you not hear yourself?" Hyojin shoved the maknae's shoulders.

"Okay, no fighting." Solji sighed, looking up from her compass. "The maknae will learn the hard way."

"I don't want to though."

"Yah, listen to me. I'm older." Solji returned to looking back at her compass. Jeonghwa huffed, looking over at Hyelin who was clapping her hands in delight.

"Imagine the food Lady Eunchae will feed us with!" Hyelin gushed. Food was finally a topic they could all agree and come together on. In some aspects.

"Jop, jop, jop—" Heeyeon mimicked Hyelin's chewing.

"No one asked!" Hyelin shouted.

"We've all spent way too much time together." Hyojin crossed her arms.

"We're starting to get irritated by one another." Heeyeon sighed even though she made fun of Hyelin a few seconds ago.

"I was always irritated." Hyojin smirked before getting shoved by Solji. She didn't want to hear it, giving all the girls a look to pull it together.

"None of you can act this way when we meet Lady Eunchae." Solji put her compass away. "You're all going to act well mannered and sharp like the soldiers we were trained to be."

"Lady Eunchae will find out eventually the mess you all are." Hwayoung looked to the side. Multiple gasps were let out by the angels while you ignored them all.

"As if you're any better!" Hyelin scoffed.

"I am," Hwayoung said confidently. Hyelin pointed an accusing finger at the girl before it slowly curled back. Even if she wanted to state an example of Hwayoung being a part of the mess, there was none that she knew off the top of her head. Hwayoung was reserved and calm compared to them. She won, but if they asked you then you had an entire list. Not that you were willing to randomly pull those stories out at the moment.

You were lost in your own thoughts despite walking with the angels. These thoughts have been gnawing at you since they mentioned her name. Suddenly a wave of unwanted feelings crashed over you. A sense of inferiority and insecurity that wanted to consume you. They were pushing you down, not wanting you to take a single breath of fresh air. You felt yourself sinking deep from her name alone. No sword could ever defend you from these feelings. That was the scariest feeling. You didn't feel a single ounce of power. You were terrified at the idea of meeting Lady Eunchae so it would be best if it never happened at all. That just wasn't possible though.

The voices of the angels could be heard, but not clearly. It all sounded like you were being held underwater. Namjoon wants to be with you and you know that. He wouldn't abandon you for another, but it was the idea of him being taken by force. Who were you to challenge a woman of higher rank than you? She was a noble lady of great wealth. All you were was a guard who didn't know her place. Hanging your head low, you frowned while the rest of the angels were discussing food. You didn't feel too hungry anymore. Nothing sounded appetizing with these unwelcomed thoughts floating around your head. You didn't like them one bit. Could they leave?

"Angel (F/n). Yeon (F/n)." Namjoon addressed you multiple times. His voice managed to pull you away from all your thoughts, bringing you back to reality.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry." You bowed to him instantly. "Is there something you need, your Majesty?"

"I wanted to know..." Namjoon looked over at the angels. He grabbed your elbow, purposely holding you back as they kept walking. He slowly began walking again with you. "Why did you have that look on your face? You looked so sad."

"Ah, that?" Your eyes stared down at the ground. "I was only worrying about our future is all. Lady Eunchae makes me nervous..."

"That's why?" Namjoon sighed. He inched closer to you, taking a hold of your hand. "Believe me when I say that everything will be okay. In the end, I'm King and she is only a noblewoman."

"I know, I'm overreacting." You shook your head only for him to grip your hand harder.

"Not at all," Namjoon replied. "I'm also a bit nervous. I'm not looking forward to telling her I'm not interested in marrying her, but I hope she understands."

"I hope for that too." You chuckled lightly. Namjoon smiled at you, glad to hear you lightening up a little. He wanted to swing your hand back and forth with his, but that was too risky. The most he could settle with was holding your hand for a little longer.

It wasn't long before he had to release your hand. He still stood close to you though, giving you loving glances whenever he could. It was hard to deny that you didn't feel special or loved. Just the effort on Namjoon's part alone meant the world to you. You'll try not to focus on the future and its uncertainty. That was your first mistake last time when rejecting Namjoon. Now you have him and love the present so you'll make an effort to not lose yourself on what's unknown. It's familiar where you are right now. You'll take things little by little and hopefully that'll be enough to make things easier for you.

You were going to make your best attempt to look at things on the brighter side. Luckily you've always tended to be a positive person. The high energy from the girls eventually got to you, making you laugh at their nonsense. It also helped that Namjoon was by your side without question. He cared for you and didn't only stay focused on the physical parts of the relationship. The negative thoughts weren't taking over anymore as you got playful with the girls. It was mainly you teasing Hwayoung in front of the other girls. She couldn't be safe from this conversation especially since she would be ready to embarrass you at any second too.

Though the angels may have their fair share of embarrassing stories on you, they'll never know half of the things Hwayoung knows. You're just an open book to the angels and you're a lot more outgoing than Hwayoung who typically sticks to you most of the time. If she weren't born as an angel, you'd imagine that she would have a profession that would involve her to never leave the house. She'd have someone else do it. You would be the reason she would even leave the house in that alternate universe, dragging her around and making sure she gets her fresh air. You have no doubt you'd be the way she meets Seungwon in that world as well. It almost made you imagine for a quick second a world where Namjoon and you got to be lovers freely. It sounded too good to be true.

"I will tell them about the fight with the palace woman!" Hwayoung threatened.

"Then I'll tell them about how I caught you talking to a frog!" You hummed. Hwayoung was quick to smack your side only to receive a smack back. The two of you were flailing arms pathetically at each other, not actually wanting to hurt each other.

"Shut up!" Hwayoung huffed.

"It's pretty funny." You mentioned to the girls before you were suddenly lifted up by Hwayoung. The two of you were screaming, joining the chaos fully. If Hwayoung is going to stay calm by herself then she'll need your assistance to be driven over the edge. Now all seven of you were behaving like wild monkeys.

Namjoon viewed the strange sight, speechless to say the least. He opened his mouth a few times and wondered if he should question what was taking place before him. It looked like you were all having fun though so he kept silent. That didn't mean he wouldn't judge. The King pursed his lips, squinting his eyes at how loud all of you were being. The frog story wasn't even that big of a deal and you were going to completely gloss over the mention of Seungwon anyway. The entire reason Hwayoung was speaking to a frog was because she was pretending it was Seungwon. Then by the time Seungwon actually came around, he didn't know whether to be flattered that she was practicing talking to him or offended on who she chose to represent him. Either way, Hwayoung was embarrassed and you were cackling in the bushes.

The chaos had to calm down soon enough. It started with Solji and eventually went down by age. Namjoon was grateful he didn't have so many people screaming around him anymore. It wasn't until you all realized why Solji became quiet that everyone was whispering. What did Solji find this time around? A few feet away from you guys was a well in the middle of the mountains. Water was running extremely low for all of you. This felt like a blessing immediately. Solji walked over, checking to make sure it still carried water. A smile graced her face as she nodded at all of you. Relieved sighs left the angels as they rushed over to the well, desperately pulling out their water pouches.

"Me! Me!" Hyelin shoved her water pouch near Solji.

"No, me!" Jeonghwa pouted.

"Get in line!" Hyojin pushed Heeyeon with her hip.

"Do you want me to throw you in the well?" Heeyeon glared at her.

"Stop!" Solji groaned.

"All of you are giving me a headache..." Namjoon muttered. Eyes slowly traveled over to the King, seeing his tired expression. At that point no one could really fight with anyone on this. Each of the angels turned pink, bowing deeply for bothering the King. You nervously bowed too but caught Namjoon winking at you. That man! The angels were back to looking at Solji who had her arms crossed.

"Behave a little more properly. We're losing ourselves a bit too much," Solji remarked.

"Yes, Angel Solji," Hwayoung said as everyone nodded.

"I just wanted to say that I know it's not evening yet. The sun is still high up, but we found a well with water. I don't know how long we'll go without water again so I'm going to call this area for rest. Tomorrow morning we'll refill our pouches and head out again. Understood?" Solji looked all of you in the eyes.

"So do we do our regular tasks already then?" You questioned. She nodded her head and everyone knew what to do. Pouches were left with Hwayoung for her to refill as others separated.

Namjoon was quick to follow you on the search for firewood. His mind wasn't too stuck on the firewood part though. You headed towards an area with trees, knowing Namjoon was trailing right behind you. The trees were all on the other side of a large hill. You were careful with your steps, noting how the ground was a bit uneven. You were walking on slanted ground which made you nervous for Namjoon. Thankfully the slanted part wasn't too steep as you found an area with better leveling. You turned around to see Namjoon carefully making his way down to join you. Once he was on the flat ground, he grinned happily at you.

Back with Solji and Jeonghwa, the two were only sitting on the ground. They had nothing to do anymore. There were no bamboo mats to set down for their comfort anymore. It wasn't too bad just sitting here, but Jeonghwa preferred to do something. Hwayoung was only a couple feet away refilling the pouches with water. It was taking a bit longer than using a river so an idea popped into the maknae's head. Maybe she could help? Just as she was about to stand up and offer her help, Solji beat her to it. The eldest got up and walked over to assist the girl. Jeonghwa frowned, staying on the ground to her dismay. The dirt floor wasn't comfortable in the slightest. She could feel her butt growing numb! She had to do something about this.

"I'm going to go help (F/n) unnie with firewood," Jeonghwa mumbled as she got onto her feet, dusting off her clothes.

"You do that," Solji said, barely listening.

The maknae just needed to do something. Three trying to refill pouches was too much and there were already three hunters. At least she could be sort of useful with helping you get firewood. It's not like the King picked up any of the wood himself. He only went with you to chat in her eyes. She didn't think much of it since you were his shadow so naturally the two of you would be closer. Plus, she found out from Solji that the King feels most protected by you. That must be a huge honor for you. Well, now he'll have double the protection! The maknae smiled at her plans, going around the hill that she saw the two of you go behind.

Jeonghwa scanned the ground, smiling once she spotted the disturbed earth. Footprints leading down a slanted path. She could already tell which steps were her fellow angel's and which belonged to the King. She giggled quietly to herself as she went down the area. Namjoon and you had already walked a couple feet away from the area. You were trying to look for wood that was actually good. You didn't want to hear Hwayoung teasing you for being bad at this. You purposely let her get the best kind last time! That's it! Namjoon chuckled as he watched you take your task seriously. It was adorable in his eyes and he made sure to cheer you on.

Finally, Jeonghwa made it to the flat leveled ground. Now that that was over with, she just needed to figure out where the two of you went. She didn't want to miss you guys. Her eyes carefully followed the footprints on the ground. They were a bit scattered since you were looking for firewood which made it a little harder for the girl. She sighed to herself, struggling to find you guys. All of her footsteps were muted and light enough to barely leave prints. It was only a habit of hers as the King's trained spy. Jeonghwa was close to giving up when she saw some movement. She placed her hand on the scabbard of her sword just in case as she tried to see who it was.

"I think that firewood should be enough to last us the night." Namjoon shrugged. You were crouched down, looking at all the ones you've managed to gather.

"Some of them are not worth bringing back." You flung a twig away from your batch. How did that manage to get in there?

"Come on, (F/n)." Namjoon tapped his foot. You sighed as you stood up, leaving the wood on the ground. You turned around to face the King with a smile.

"I still need to search for more wood," You said.

"I don't think so." He shook his head.

Jeonghwa moved her hand away from her sword, relaxing to see there was no threats after all. It's just you and the King. The exact people she was looking for. The girl stepped closer, getting a better view of the two of you. She didn't want to scare you both since it was only her. Jeonghwa was about to wave and call out to the two of you when Namjoon shoved you up against a tree. Instantly, Jeonghwa furrowed her brows at the sight. She didn't like how rough he was being with you. Was he upset? Jeonghwa took a step behind a tree to hide herself as she watched. You didn't look frightened at all in her eyes or even ashamed. It didn't appear as if you were getting scolded either.

"We only have limited time before we have to return," Namjoon stated.

"More time to get wood." You smiled to see him shake his head. He slowly began to lean closer, barely any space left between your lips.

"Just let me kiss you already." Namjoon pressed his lips against yours. Closing your eyes, you wrapped your arms around his neck as you embraced the moment. It was sweet to you.

But to another pair of eyes, they were beginning to tremble at the sight. They intruded on something they weren't supposed to. Jeonghwa's jaw dropped the second she saw the King lean in to kiss her unnie. She had to cover her mouth once she saw you wrap your arms around him. It was completely mutual. The two of you were acting so naturally around each other. How long has this been going on? Jeonghwa was internally screaming at what she witnessed. What is she supposed to do with this? Her thoughts were all over the place. She was never trained for this situation. She was frozen as Namjoon separated from you for a moment to caress the side of your face.

"I love you." He looked at you like you were a Queen.

"I love you too." You moved back in to kiss him.

"L-Love?" Jeonghwa mumbled to herself. Things got a hell of a lot more complicated. She's seen enough. She turned away, running away from the scene and pretending she was never there to begin with.

The youngest of the angels was left as a complete mess. She returned with no firewood and barely fought back with Solji when she was scolded for it. Jeonghwa was too busy with her thoughts, trying to look back on past memories. Everything she considered friendly could have been a lie. But she had to know when exactly it all started. Before the trip or after? Though she returned, Jeonghwa couldn't bring herself to mention it to the others. Hearing how softly the two of you admitted your love for one another held her back. She couldn't do that to you two.

"I brought the firewood!" You cheered as you arrived with Namjoon by your side. The King was silent, smiling at his angels. Solji began talking and the hunters of the group returned too with their captures. Everyone was acting so naturally. You and the King were acting as what happened in the forest never occurred. Jeonghwa swallowed hard, looking down at her feet. Well, sh*t.


	32. Peaches

Ch.31

It's been a week since Jeonghwa has found out but refused to say anything. She kept her lips sealed to the other angels and to you as well. She was going to pretend she saw nothing. If the others ever ask her about it then she supposes she'll have to come clean then. For now she was going to leave the two of you alone. Jeonghwa was doing her best to act normal with everyone too. Though she did focus on your interactions with the King a lot more now. She could see how she believed there was nothing wrong except a few things here and there. The two of you often got to be alone together and she could have sworn she spotted hand holding on the occasion. But of course, she wasn't going to say anything.

Jeonghwa left your happy bubble alone and you didn't even know it. You felt everything was fine and Namjoon was completely the same. The two of you were never given any reason to believe something was wrong. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary for you two. Your mind was concentrating on other things at the moment. Namjoon was following you around as always, but not for private time. That could wait until later. The reason you guys were alone was to search for some sort of food besides meat. Solji wasn't feeling too good from last night's catch it seems. She woke up having a bad stomach issues.

That obviously was a huge problem. Travel was put to a hold due to Solji's current state. What made things a little harder was that she's supposed to be the physician yet she was out. The most she could do was describe specific herbs and roots to Hyojin, Hyelin, and Heeyeon. Those two were in charge of searching for some medicinal herbs in the mountains. Hwayoung was left to care for the leader while you and Jeonghwa were put in charge of looking for fruits. Anything from nature that could heal Solji. Jeonghwa and you split up in hopes of finding something faster. When you suggested the idea to Jeonghwa, she stuttered a lot before accepting. The maknae acted a bit strange as you walked away with Namjoon to search for fruits.

"Y-You're sure you want to split?" Jeonghwa fidgeted with her fingers.

"It'll be faster." You pointed out.

"Let's go, (F/n)." Namjoon pushed his gat off his head, letting it rest on his back with the ribbon around his neck.

"I just t-think—"

"Jeonghwa, go already." Hwayoung gave the maknae a sharp glare. "Unless you want to stay back with Solji so I can look."

The maknae gulped right away. There was nothing she could really say against that. She was only stalling and making things worse for her eldest unnie. You and Namjoon were able to walk off on your own as Jeonghwa took a different route. She sighed heavily to herself but figured it would be fine. Besides, she didn't want to get scolded again by Hwayoung. She could get scary when worried for the people she loves. The King and you will be okay. It was just Solji that all of you were equally worried about.

Berries just wouldn't do at the moment. They were too small and could barely be filling as little snacks. Then this area around you guys wasn't that good either. The bushes had pathetic berries to begin with and there were no signs of trees that offered fruit. All of it was frustrating to deal with. Hopefully Jeonghwa was having an easier time searching for something. Wasn't it supposed to be spring already? You would have expected more life, but all you got was a bunch of rocks and dirt. Then a good amount of foliage in the mountains.

"There's nothing." You huffed, kicking a rock. Namjoon was looking for fruits to but paused as he saw you getting antsy. He put his hands on his knees as he got up, walking over to you.

"We've been looking for five minutes. We should give it a while." Namjoon placed his hands on your shoulders. He rubbed them, walking with you slowly to a new area.

"I know...I just don't know if this pain with unnie will last an hour or the whole day." You frowned. "I just don't like seeing her in pain."

"Me neither." Namjoon allowed his arm to wrap around your shoulders. He pulled you close to his side as he sighed. "Solji is like an older sister to me. She took care of me when I felt bad and so I want to return the favor too. Even if it's just a little berry."

"That's sweet." You smiled softly.

Namjoon didn't dive too deep into it, but you knew it all. He was worrying over his angel for all that she's done for him in the past and all the way to now. Namjoon doesn't even bother picking up firewood so you were touched to see him searching with you. Though he was going to get dirty, he didn't care. Getting scratches on his hand from bushes or a little dirt under his nails was the least of his concerns. The King and you were hopelessly searching around the area yet there remained to be nothing. The mountains were more frustrating than surviving in the forest. It was harder to survive here unless you had a system like the villages here.

Still, you weren't going to give up over this. There had to be some sort of food out here that you could give Solji. And even if you couldn't magically stumble across food, you hoped you would hear the sounds of life from a nearby village. It would be possible to carry Solji over there and have her be properly taken care of. You knew how far she would go to care for you guys so you wanted to repay her in any way you could. Just as a sigh left your lips, Namjoon nudged your shoulder. You looked up at him to see him pointing towards the right. You turned your head, spotting a tree sitting on a steep slope. It was high up but there were fresh peaches hanging from it.

"P-Peaches?" You gasped. Blinking a few times, you had to make sure you were actually seeing it. The peach tree stayed there and you could feel your heart picking up its pace. It's really there! Squealing, you ran towards the tree happily. "Namjoon! Pick me up!"

"Hold on, I'm coming!" Namjoon laughed as he went over to you. Your smaller form was jumping as high as you could bring it, but it wasn't enough. The peaches were too high for Namjoon to even grab. Then climbing the steep slope was too risky and the peach branches were too thin to carry your weight. You didn't want to gain any injuries and make the situation worse. This should be enough though. Namjoon placed his hands around your waist, lifting you up as high as he could. You stretched out your fingers, hoping to feel the gentle fuzz of the fruit only to feel the ground underneath you again.

"What?" You furrowed your brows.

"That's how much your armor weighs?" Namjoon panted.

"Really?" You stomped your feet. Namjoon blushed as you looked back up at the peaches. "What if I carry you?"

"You're strong, but even I don't think you can do that." Namjoon shook his head as you faced him. Scanning him from head to toe, you tried to make an estimate of something near his weight. You don't think you've ever lifted anything his size without throwing them over your back immediately, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Walking over to Namjoon, you tried to put your arms around him only for him to start squirming around. Why was he moving? Stop moving! And stop yelling too! The two of you were bickering back and forth over this. He claimed he was ticklish, but you know that was a lie! This could be about his pride. It was already stung by struggling to lift you high up, but you did have extra weight hanging on your body. It wasn't his fault. Namjoon was still refusing and smacking your hands away when the two of you heard a new pair of feet coming close.

The two of you immediately stopped. Namjoon was glad while you were terrified. You were ready to drop on your knees and apologize to whichever angel saw you behaving inappropriately with the King. Unless Namjoon somehow manages to save you from what you two were just doing. It didn't look good for you. You swallowed hard until you saw Jeonghwa was making her way to the both of you. She didn't seem to notice that the two of you were fighting. That was good but she did look a bit on edge. You couldn't quite understand what was up with Jeonghwa. She's been acting off for a while, but still performed her duties. You suppose she'll sort her issues out on her own if she has any.

"(F/n) unnie! King!" Jeonghwa jogged over. With her long legs, she made it over to you guys in a few seconds. "Have you been able to find anything?"

"That." Namjoon pointed over to the peach tree. Jeonghwa looked over at the direction, her eyes widening at the fruit tree. She looked relieved at the sight of it. Maybe she had her own troubles finding something too. "It's just too high up."

"If I carry (F/n) on top of my shoulders then we can reach it!" Jeonghwa clapped her hands together. She skipped over to the tree as she motioned you over.

"I'm taller so maybe I should carry (F/n)—" Namjoon started as Jeonghwa became panicked. The girl suddenly flailed around before your eyes.

"No!" She screamed. Things were quiet for a few seconds before she cleared her throat. "A-Allow us angels to do the work, my King. We don't want you straining yourself by carrying our armored weight."

"She's right, your Majesty." You eyed Jeonghwa weirdly. Slowly your eyes returned to meet Namjoon's. "You've helped a lot by finding the tree in the first place."

"If you say so..." Namjoon puffed out his bottom lip slightly. He watched Jeonghwa lower herself for you to sit on her shoulders. The peaches were still high up, but at least you were able to grab the branch and pull it closer to you. Namjoon's eyes soon widened as he remembered he had his gat with him. Untying the ribbon, he held the gat out directly in front of Jeonghwa and you. "Drop the peaches in here."

"Perfect. Thank you, my King." You smiled at him. Dimples appeared on his cheeks as the fruits came falling one by one. More than enough was harvested for Solji. Hopefully she'll get better soon.

Jeonghwa carefully let you down from her shoulders. Now that the fruits were found, the three of you made your way back to the eldest angel. The walk back was quieter than you thought it would be. Mainly because of how awkward Jeonghwa was acting. She was standing in between Namjoon and you, looking stiff. You figured her mind was stuck on Solji's current state. Even those two did have their low moments, Solji cared for Jeonghwa a lot. The maknae knew that full well. You patted Jeonghwa's back, assuring her that unnie would be fine.

Solji was sitting up against a tree when you guys arrived. She was instructing Heeyeon on how to make the medicine to ease an upset stomach. It wasn't extremely painful according to Solji, but she was pale and sweating. None of you wanted her pretending that she was strong just for you guys. Hyojin was making sure the younger angels were all okay. Her eyes were particularly on Jeonghwa. She figured the same as you that she was startled by Solji's sudden pain. Heeyeon eventually finished the instructions Solji gave her, carefully slipping it in Solji's mouth. The eldest frowned at the taste but tolerated it.

The seven of you waited around her to let the medicine set in. It wouldn't start working immediately, but it was a step in the right direction. Soon she might want to nibble on a peach. Then eventually she'll be walking on her feet with you guys, not upset over a poorly cooked meat she ate. All of you gave Solji the space she needed until she pushed herself into a sitting position all on her own. She was no longer pale or sweating, but still exhausted. You could only imagine with everything she does. Everyone was circled around her as they waited for her to speak.

"We've stuck around here long enough. We should start moving again." Solji sighed.

"Are you sure?" Hyelin frowned.

"Yeah, you look like you can't walk on your own two feet," Heeyeon said.

"I can stand just fine." Solji grunted, forcing her legs to carry her up right. It looked like the action alone took a lot of energy. Worried glanced were exchanged with each other.

"How about I carry you on my back until we find a place to stay until sunset?" Hyojin walked in front of the leader. She crouched down, waiting for the girl to get on her.

"No, I can walk on my own." Solji shook her head.

"King, please tell Solji to go on Hyojin unnie's back," You pleaded.

"Solji, I refuse to take no for answer. Take advantage of Hyojin's assistance." Namjoon crossed his arms. His voice was stern, nothing Solji could go against. She sighed heavily as she cooperated with the offer. Everyone else was cheering while Jeonghwa pursed her lips. She couldn't believe how blind she was to it in the past.

"You'll get to be more comfortable once we find a village. It should be soon." Hwayoung smiled.

"Yes, so make sure to drink plenty of water! Which reminds me, I should probably drink more water too..." Hyelin rubbed her chin.

"We're here if you need anything, Unnie," Jeonghwa spoke up. She didn't want to get too fixated on the secret she had to hold. It'll be fine. It didn't seem like the relationship was harming anyone so it should be fine. She won't reveal it to anyone else so no one is going to find out.

Solji smiled softly at all the angels for their kind words and the King too. She was fond of everyone, enjoying the moment more than she thought. The pain in her stomach was already beginning to pass with Hyojin carrying her. She wasn't overworking herself like she had been. At least Solji could now get proper rest. The traveling only went on for a few hours. It didn't take long for the sun to begin setting. A lot of the daylight hours had been spent, but no one was complaining. They would have done anything for their leader. Namjoon was nervous there for a second. While Solji felt like an older sister, she also had motherly aspects to her. He was just glad that she was doing better. He didn't want to imagine anything worse.

By the time the sun was setting, Solji was placed back on the ground. She was set to rest with Jeonghwa watching over her. Everyone else had their set tasks to fulfill except the hunters would be gathering instead. They figured it was better to trust the familiar nature around them than a random rabbit in the forest. You went off to get firewood as always with Namjoon trailing behind you. The two of you didn't leave suspiciously, but that didn't stop Jeonghwa from having her eyes on you two. She only sighed softly and shrugged her shoulders. This time none of the other angels were anywhere near you two when you went in search for good firewood. You were able to find a good amount in less than three minutes to your surprise. The nature seemed to be improving the further you guys went. You had a feeling that meant there was a river or some body of water nearby.

While you were thankful for the wood, Namjoon was thrilled at the idea of water. He wanted to take another bath already. Honestly, you would love one as well. The two of you spent a while strolling through a wooded area. Solji was doing better so everyone was feeling relieved. The two of you were more at ease. You would have been ready to comfort Namjoon if he needed it and he was prepared to do the same. There was a fair amount of kissing that took place. Namjoon was feeling affectionate, wanting to keep you alone with him forever even though you guys had to head back eventually. Searching for wood would take ten minutes at most and you've already spent five. That's more than enough time spent.

"It's not enough." Namjoon pecked your lips, keeping you pressed up against a tree.

"We'll get more time at a village perhaps. Look on the bright side," You told him as he whined. "Do you want me to give you a kiss, my Love?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Namjoon smiled, his dimples appearing. You placed your hands on his shoulders as you went on your toes. He waited patiently only for you to kiss him on the cheek. "Oh no, what was that? You call that a kiss?"

"The forehead maybe?" You giggled as he wrapped his arms tightly.

"I just want to make you mine over and over again."

"Namjoon!" You poked his dimple. "I'm already yours."

"You know what I mean." Namjoon smirked.

"...I do," You stated shyly.

Namjoon hummed, pressing his lips against yours. The two of you held each other closely during the long kiss. It left you feeling hot and lightheaded from how long it lasted. Namjoon never wanted it to end, enjoying the sensual kiss without worries. You wanted to focus on the time limit you gave yourself, but even you were beginning to drift away. It was hard not to get lost in the way it felt to be with him. You were miles away from everything you considered home and familiar yet he managed to be all of that for you. Happiness swelled both of your hearts from the gentle and passionate kiss. Though Namjoon teased you about behaving sexually, he was quite the romantic and soft in nature. You adored everything about him.

"I love you." You leaned your head against his chest.

"I love you too." He kissed your head, squeezing you tightly.

It didn't take long for the two of you to return to the others. Hwayoung barely arrived with filled water pouches too when you made it with the wood. Leaving the firewood on the ground, Jeonghwa handled starting the fire as more of the angels returned. They came back with plenty of fruit that could be used as brief meals for the next few days. Everyone gathered around the fire, eating and chatting until it was time to sleep. Hyelin was chugging half of her water in her effort to drink more water before sleeping. Hwayoung shook her head, telling the unnie she would have to refill it herself if she wants more to drink. Hyelin only stuck her tongue out at your friend.

They all went to sleep meanwhile you watched for the first half of the night. At least an hour passed of them sleeping solidly before you looked over at Namjoon. He was laying on his side with his eyes closed. They were soon open as a smirk appeared on his face. The two of you were getting private time again. You hoped he would behave appropriately since the expression he was giving you said otherwise. You scolded him in whispers with how quick he was to pull you onto his lap. He chuckled quietly, claiming he was only teasing. You hope so! The male dug his face in the crook of your neck, peppering your skin with kisses as you held back all your giggles. It was ticklish!

Though as you were squirming, an angel slowly began to wake. Their eyes remained closed since they wanted to go back to sleep. It was only hard for them with how their bladder felt at the moment. They needed to pee. It was a battle between the urge to pee or the need to sleep. Hyelin barely peeked through her eyelashes, trying to convince herself to just get the pee over with except waking up was a process for her. She laid on the ground tiredly as she heard shuffling. Her eyes instantly traveled over to the sound. She expected to see you since you were supposed to be watching for the first half of the night.

"Namjoon, you're just tickling me." You playfully glared at him.

"Because it's fun." Namjoon pecked your lips, enjoying the blush on your cheeks.

 _'HOLY HELL'_ was Hyelin's first thoughts as her body became tense. She kept her eyes closed, pretending to stay asleep. She didn't know what would happen if she actually bothered to 'wake up' in front of the couple. Sure, she could scold you but then again you were locking lips with his freaking Majesty!! Hyelin was screaming inside her head, her mind running wild with thoughts. _How long has this been going on? Do they always do this when we're asleep? Did I pee myself? Is this all a dream?_ Hyelin knew she wasn't going to even pretend to wake up. She needed to observe and go off from there.

She stayed quiet to watch the two of you, noticing how gentle the King treated you. The affectionate exchange between the both of you was loving, but still. Hyelin felt conflicted but couldn't do much about it. There was the side of her knowing that this couldn't be happening. The King is meant to marry Lady Eunchae. That's what this entire trip is about and yet...she couldn't get herself to do anything. The true happiness she saw made her hesitant to speak out about it. Hyelin bit on her tongue, telling herself to just sleep and pee herself if need be. She just wouldn't interrupt the two of you or mention it to the others. Only if she's questioned about it.


	33. River

Ch.32

Another week had passed since Hyelin caught you and the King while she was supposedly asleep. She hadn't said anything to anybody. She completely forgot about it after falling asleep. The first thing on her mind the next morning was to pee. Her bladder was going to give her an infection if she continued to hold it in. After relieving herself, she finally remembered what she saw last night. Was it something she saw from her sleepy daze? She couldn't really tell. She tried observing you and the King, but the two of you were acting naturally in front of the others. There was not a single change. Nothing out of the ordinary in her eyes.

Compared to Jeonghwa, Hyelin shrugged it off easily and decided not to focus on it. She let it slip off her mind without problem. If the others brought it up too then maybe it was real. So far, the other angels didn't seem suspicious so Hyelin didn't want to cause unnecessary problems. Unknowingly, Namjoon and you dodged a disaster. Hyelin and Jeonghwa had their lips sealed and neither knew what the other had seen. Namjoon and you continued to stay safe, luck by both of your sides so far but it was walking a fine line. It was invisible to you so you never worried about acting more cautious around the other angels. You felt the way you were with Namjoon was just fine for now.

A village was found and you all stayed there for two days. You felt like the trip was slowly extending itself, but you had no complaints. If Lady Eunchae wants to become Queen then she'll have to wait for Namjoon to arrive and even then...that isn't going to happen. After a while, you stopped feeling insecure by the Lady. It might become a different story once she stands in front of you, but for now you wanted to relish in the fact that Namjoon chose you. He can literally have anyone he wants and yet you are the one he wants. The two of you believed it was Fate that had you together.

Due to believing it was Fate, you think that's the reason why the two of you were lucky enough not to have gotten caught. Namjoon could be touchy so that didn't help. Somehow though, his needy behavior has gone completely undetected. Even with his want to get intimate during inconvenient times and questionable places. You weren't always sure if he was always joking or not. Sometimes it was obvious but then other times you weren't sure. He did try to start something in a shack where men have done their business in. Namjoon's behavior made you wonder if Seungwon was ever this way with Hwayoung. You wanted to ask, but you've had this conversation with yourself multiple times. It's a secret and Hwayoung gets all flustered from his name alone. Unless she starts the talking about him first, it's sort of hard to get personal information like that out of her.

That didn't mean you wouldn't make an attempt.

"Please tell me!" You held onto her leg tightly.

"You're embarrassing! Get up!" Hwayoung was flushed. The two of you were left at the Inn in this new village while the others left to go get supplies. Once they come back though, all of you will be off. The King was the only other person with you guys, but he was currently in the bathroom. That's how you took your chance to strike. "(F/n)! Why do you care?"

"Because I found out almost a month ago and I want to know everything! Did he pester you for sex every day?" You eyed her intensely.

"O-Only when we were teens and first started." Hwayoung huffed. "Does that make you happy?"

"Very!" You let go of her leg. Standing up on your own, you gave her a giant grin that stretched from ear to ear. She wasn't as cheery as you, but that wasn't too strange. "Seungwon, that dog! I'll have to scold him when we get back."

"You leave him alone!" Hwayoung jabbed your chest. She was still a flustered mess, her entire face red. "He doesn't a-act that way anymore! And don't let him know I told you!" Hwayoung began to shake your shoulders. She was begging wildly by the time Namjoon stepped into the room. He was still for a few seconds as Hwayoung registered what was going on. She finally stopped flinging your body around, calming down as she let go of you. "H-Hello, my King."

"Don't act natural!" Namjoon laughed, shaking his finger in front of her face. Hwayoung puckered her lips and looked away from him. "I bet you would try to bite my finger off if we were still kids."

"And what if you're right?" Hwayoung put her hands on her hips.

"Do it!" Namjoon didn't believe she would.

"Is that a royal command from the King himself?" Hwayoung narrowed her eyes on his wagging finger.

"Please don't." You intervened. That was enough to finally knock some sense into them. Hwayoung crossed her arms, huffing as she turned away. Namjoon only grinned as he looked back at you, never once worried for the safety of his finger.

"I knew she wouldn't do it."

"I would have!"

Thankfully no fingers were bitten off and the rest of the angels returned. Having the presence of the other angels would help get Hwayoung to act more proper. She wanted to behave maturely, but you manage to break down those walls for her. It doesn't help that Namjoon acts casually around her too and suddenly they revert into children together. It made you happy though. Namjoon was added to the list of people Hwayoung is able to act like herself around. There were still moments when your friend would become stiff and stoic from years of training, but the other angels would never get the type of fighting you had to witness at the Inn.

Hwayoung had returned to her 'normal' self once all of you were walking out with the angels again. Namjoon was acting calmer to but was still walking cheerfully. His arms were behind his back as he strolled next to you. Softly shaking your head, you smiled as you walked with them. The supplies the angels bought were just a couple of snacks. It wasn't really possible to buy anything else. You guys could, but then it would be extra weight to carry around for the entire trip. There was no longer a wagon or horses by your side. That was something that still made you sigh heavily. From time to time you would think about Happy. Was he living as a wild horse or forced to work for cruel thieves? You swear, those thieves will get nothing but pain if they cross paths with you guys again.

Leaving a village was always a sad feeling. It was always so comfortable staying around others and getting to sleep in beds. It was nice enough for you to stay forever as long as you had Namjoon, but that wasn't possible. The two of you had to return back to the capital and stay in the palace. He had a nation to rule after all. But you suppose you have to take Namjoon to Lady Eunchae first. That was still a thing. You liked forgetting that was the point of the entire mission. At this point, you were just following Solji and laughing with the other girls. They probably felt the exact same with how long all of you have been traveling. Almost two months in and there was a lot all of you have yet to travel. Just one more month of traveling at this rate was Solji's estimation.

It didn't feel like there was a goal anymore. It felt more like you were bonding with all the angels and the King. To be honest, the type of bonding you were doing with the King was a lot different. You glanced multiple times in Namjoon's direction. He was so handsome. Just seeing him put a smile on your face. What it made it better was that Namjoon was stealing his own quick glances at you as well. It wasn't until the both of you caught each other that you began laughing. The others didn't think anything of it besides two. Jeonghwa casually looked over her shoulder, slowing down her walking pace as Hyelin made sure she was hearing everything the two of you had to say.

"Is there something you need, my King? You keep looking in my direction." You smile.

"Not at all. I thought you wanted to request me of something from how often you stared at me." Namjoon looked down at you with his charming smile.

"I was only checking if you were alright and if you needed anything." You heard him let out a little scoff. It was all playful and the two of you were only being careful.

"Is that all?" He raised a brow at you.

"I don't want to bother you." You shook your head.

"You'd never bother me, (F/n)," Namjoon said. His tone was different from the way he was speaking to you previously. It was gentle, immediately making your heart flutter. You shyly looked away while he grinned widely at you. He stared fondly at you, wanting you to look back at him. He was about to say something else when interruptions suddenly came flooding his way.

"Unnie! Can you braid my hair?" Jeonghwa was staring directly at you. Blinking at her, you pointed at yourself to see her nod enthusiastically. She was quick to walk over and pull you away from Namjoon. The King raised a brow, sighing as he looked at the other angels. All their backs were facing him besides Hyelin. His eyes connected with hers for a brief moment and she instantly looked straight forward. Now that felt strange. Namjoon could have sworn that she almost had fear in her expression. An angel having fear though? That didn't sound very likely.

"Hwayoung! Go shadow the King!" Hyelin demanded, acting flustered and fidgety.

"Okay..." Hwayoung seemed suspicious of Hyelin's behavior but brushed it off. That unnie was always a bit strange. Hwayoung only did as she was told as she went to walk next to Namjoon. Though she did as she was ordered, that didn't stop her from sharing the same thoughts as Namjoon. Why pull (F/n) away and have Hwayoung take her place? Odd.

Namjoon tried not to think too much about it. It only made him nervous which would only cause problems. He needs confidence. Everything is fine. If any of the angels knew, they would have mentioned it already. He remained calm seeing as you were acting as if nothing was different. You didn't think much of Jeonghwa's request. It was sudden, but you didn't mind. Braiding hair was easy to begin with so you knew you would be finished really soon. As you did her hair, the eldest angels began to realize something. They all exchanged glances with each other before running forward. Where are they off to?

Finishing up with Jeonghwa's braid, you began to run after them. The other young angels and Namjoon were chasing after them too. Namjoon asked what was going on, but none of you really had an answer. Solji just went off with Heeyeon and Hyojin without saying a word. Having them run off like that was frustrating to the King, but any issues he had with them completely disappeared when it all became clear to you. Everyone stopped in their tracks where the three eldest stood. Panting quietly, your eyes widened to see what they had discovered. Excitement was already rushing through you to see the sight. How did they know this was here!?

A giant river sat at the bottom of long slope. The current wasn't too strong which made it perfect for taking a bath in. You've been waiting for this moment! You were tempted to start running down already, but Solji kept you all behind. She held her hand up which made you worry. Did this territory belong to others? Were there traps? You looked at the trees around the area, but they were all too thin to properly hide behind. You couldn't understand what was wrong until Solji slowly turned to face Namjoon with a smile. He was happy the river was found as well. He had a smile on his face before he saw Solji looking at him in that way. Namjoon's brows slowly knitted together, noticing the rest of the angels were giving him the same expression. Then it clicked.

"Oh, I see." Namjoon sighed heavily as he sat down on the ground. He turned himself, letting his back face you guys. "I'll let you ladies take your baths then."

"Really? Would you prefer to go first?" Solji asked.

"No, I'd rather wait. It's fine with me so go." Namjoon waved you all away.

The girls began to look at each other, smiles forming on each of your faces. He didn't have to tell you guys twice. Loud squeals left all of you as the seven of you ran down the slope. You were already working on removing your armor. There was a chorus of metal buckles clinking together as the angels removed their uniforms. As soon as they were off, no one wasted time jumping into the water. It was cold but it felt amazing. You were already swimming in the water and enjoying yourself. Eventually you snuck up behind Hwayoung, splashing water at her. She hissed before splashing some back at you. The fighting between the two of you was cut short when you were both suddenly shoved under water for a few seconds.

Hwayoung and you came up, completely in shock. The both of you were gasping and shivering, quickly folding your arms. Hwayoung soon whined as she pointed out Hyojin doing the exact same to the other girls. Is that unnie trying to kill you two!? She was only laughing as you shook your head. While all the angels were squealing and splashing around in the water, Namjoon sighed to himself at the top of the slope. They all sounded like they were having fun. It was tempting to look. Namjoon bit his lip, imagining you and smirking. Then the others appeared and he stopped smiling. No, it's best if he keeps still.

"I only have eyes for _my_ woman!" Namjoon huffed proudly to himself.

He waited patiently, keeping his eyes straight forward and refusing to look. Namjoon sat loyally as he waited for all of you to finish and get dressed. It didn't take long for the girls to get back in their undergarments. They slipped back on their armor loosely as you stepped out of the river. You swam up the river for a bit, wanting to see what else there was. Now you were rushing to join them all. Hwayoung snickered as she finished putting on her uniform completely with the others. You barely managed to slip on your undergarments by the time Solji was already walking up the slope. She motioned for all the others to follow her up, her eyes traveling over to you.

"Oh, (F/n)! You don't mind staying behind with the King again, do you?" Solji asked. Your brows jumped slightly at her request, but you didn't mind. You knew you would be the most comfortable compared to the other girls. You nodded to see her smile. She rushed to tell Namjoon that he was free to bathe himself now. You turned back to look at the river, not noticing at how Hyelin was biting her lip harshly and how Jeonghwa was internally screaming.

Namjoon lifted his head up in excitement when he was told he could go. He looked like a thrilled puppy in Solji's eyes. He jumped onto his feet, rushing towards the river. The leader shook her head as she told the royal to be careful. Namjoon almost slipped and quickly regained his balance, promising he'd be careful to Solji. The angels all went to the top of the slope, figuring they would search for food around the area. With a large river, there had to be plenty of fresh fruits this spring had to offer around the area. That left Namjoon and you completely alone together. The male smirked as he arrived at the bottom, seeing you still in your under garments.

"My dear beautiful angel, (F/n). Undress me!" Namjoon stood happily in front of you.

"What? But I taught you how to do it yourself." You blinked at him. Namjoon was quick to pout, begrudgingly taking off the clothes himself. He was no longer ripping at it like how he used to in the past. "Did I say something wrong?"

"It's more romantic if you do it." Namjoon sighed. "Besides, I like having you undress me." He playfully winked, removing his coat. A blush spread across your cheeks from how blunt he could be. He continued to strip in front of you, leaving himself in his trousers. You knew he was teasing you from the way he slowly tugged at them.

"Is there something you need, Namjoon?" You crossed your arms as he smirked. You had a feeling to what he could be alluding to, but you wanted to hear it from him.

"Remove your garments and join me for a bit."

As the angels searched for food, they were able to gather a good amount. There wasn't enough to fill an entire basket since they were careful on which fruits to pick. As long as they looked near perfection, they were selected. Not all of them could be taken due to there not being enough room for them. Solji and Hyojin carried two sacks that were starting to get full. This would most likely last them until they find the next village. That was the hope of all the girls. They were already beginning to eat their finds though, unable to help themselves from how juicy the fruits looked. Eating full meals always became a struggle once you all left the villages.

Somehow all the supply and recently gathered fruits were beginning to go down again. Why did all the girls have to be so hungry? Solji clapped her hands, telling everyone to start plucking fruits again or else nothing will be left for the King. The girls were quick on their feet to follow through with her orders. As they split off, one angel decided to head back to the river. They wanted to ask the King if they could borrow his gat to place fruit in. They figured it was an innocent request to make since he's allowed it in the past. They didn't think they would stumble across something they shouldn't have seen.

Heeyeon made her way obliviously over to the area just as you stood in the middle of the river with Namjoon. The male was shivering from the cold while you were already used to it. Giggling at all his facial expressions, you eventually decided to hug him. You'll be his warmth. Namjoon smiled down at you and held your smaller form close to him. Heeyeon stepped closer, making it to the top of the slope. Her eyes darted down to check for the gat and she was quick to spot it. The girl smiled until she realized you were nowhere in sight. Where is the King's shadow? She furrowed her brows and then that's when she saw it.

"You're so handsome." You pecked the King's lips. Namjoon kept his forehead pressed against yours as he hummed.

"And you're beautiful." His arm was slowly lifting up your leg. He wanted you to wrap your legs around his waist and you knew what that would inevitably lead to. You giggled, but someone didn't find this funny one bit.

Heeyeon dropped to the floor as she spied on the two of you. Her jaw was touching the ground from the utter shock she was experiencing. _What is (F/n) doing with the King!?_ She couldn't hear what the two of you were saying to each other, but she could see both of your actions clear as day. Her eyes were practically bulging from her head. She wanted to convince herself that this was a dream or that it was fake except it wouldn't disappear. There was her dongsaeng completely naked with the King!

Namjoon was kissing you, the passion heating up quickly to Heeyeon's dismay. She covered her mouth as she watched. _What is he doing to the baby!? Leave your shadow alone!_ Heeyeon was internally screaming and crying. Suddenly the innocent image she held for you was shattered to pieces. They turned into dust the moment she saw you pulling your own moves on the King. She could no longer watch. This was wrong. Heeyeon crawled away, knowing that she had to let out a scream or else she would burst. She had to runaway a good distance though.

Her mind was all over the place. There was the fact that you had secret relationship with the King and then the fact that you were no longer a child. It was too much for Heeyeon to comprehend. She was running, her legs pumping her away from the scene. It was too shocking that she couldn't even feel her fingertips. Heeyeon hated the images popping up in her head, wanting those memories to be erased. Those are going to be locked away and never talked about! She'll let someone else handle it because of as of right now, Heeyeon needs to scream about the traumatizing sight she just got to witness.

"WHAT THE F*CK!?"


	34. Alone with the King

Ch.33

Heeyeon remained traumatized for another week. A total of four weeks had passed since Jeonghwa first witnessed the King and you in the woods. Somehow no one was bringing it up, but the girls were getting on edge. They were all tense any time Namjoon and you got moments to be alone. They made their efforts to intervene like offering to join you two or taking the job from you completely. It was bothering the King a lot since he wanted no one else but you. It was disappointing for you when you didn't get to be with him, but you didn't think much of it. They were angels only wanting to perform their job. Besides, it's a bit strange if you're always with him. You should let the others have a chance to protect him too. That was your opinion on it yet Namjoon was stuck on his own.

As long as he keeps it to himself though. Even with your disappointment at times, you shrug it off and not make a big deal out of it. If you did then you only appear suspicious. Then if the King throws a fit about not having you be by his side? It might paint the picture that Namjoon prefers things a certain way, but not if any of the angels are already questioning the relationship the two of you have. It was best to play on the safe side and Namjoon knew that to be true. Recently it felt as if the two of you barely get time to be alone. It was disheartening with how much you wanted to be with Namjoon. You thought you would have time with him.

You refused to believe there was an expiration date for the two of you. Though you haven't gotten much time with Namjoon, you plan to make some. Namjoon was on board with your plan. He was going to have to carry a majority of it since he held the most power. Any one of the angels could switch out with you all of a sudden, but if Namjoon specifically said he needed you for a task then who are they to interfere? It would be a random task so none of the angels would suspect anything. None of them would get the chance to volunteer. The plans were set and that was it. There was to be no discussion about it from any of the angels.

The two of you just needed to find the perfect timing for it. Namjoon also didn't know exactly what task he was going to randomly throw out there. All the both of you knew was that once there was an opening, it had to be taken. You were getting tired of Jeonghwa, Hyelin, and Heeyeon. Those three in particular have been standing out to you. Normally, you love them but lately they were all slowly driving you crazy. Even at this very moment, you were walking alongside the King as always only for those three to be close by.

"Don't you enjoy this weather, your Majesty?" Jeonghwa asked.

"Er, yes...it's alright." Namjoon frowned. He was barely hiding his displeasure with this conversation. He was visibly uncomfortable with their close presence. At least with Hwayoung it never felt like she was ever interrupting things between the King and you. You would much rather have your closest friend, watching the two bicker over the dumbest of things. "Can you ladies give me some space? I feel crowded."

"We're only trying to protect you, my King," Heeyeon said.

"What good does standing less than a feet away from me do?" Namjoon retorted bitterly. The three angels became tense as you tried not to show any emotion on your face. He was getting upset. He needed to dial it down before it became too much.

"We apologize for making you uncomfortable..." Hyelin bowed as they started to step away. Only you stayed close causing Heeyeon to purse her lips. Hyelin attempted to grab your arm so she could pull you away, only to stop at the sharp look the King was giving her.

"Stop. (F/n) and I were having a conversation before the three of you interrupted." Namjoon sighed heavily, bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Unless I ask for your specific presence, please allow me to walk and breathe freely."

"Are you girls bothering the King?" Hyojin looked back at the younger ones. She seemed to overhear everything the moment she caught onto Namjoon's aggressive tone. The angels bowed once more, walking further up. Hyojin shook her head at them, making sure they felt at least shameful. "He's not a bird in a cage."

"Thank you," Namjoon mumbled as he looked over at you. You kept a straight posture and stoic expression, not wanting to stand out. His eyes only lingered on the gold hairpin in your hair. He stared at the bird for a moment before looking forward.

The conversation the King and you had held no importance. The two of you were just speaking to fill up the air with sound. Something so those three would see that the two of you were truly busy with something. You were barely focusing with how boring the conversation was. Thankfully they seemed to drop it after a while. They no longer were paying attention, but you didn't feel like risking it. You would wait until Namjoon and you are genuinely alone. Namjoon was on the same page as you, especially with how frustrated he was. He's grown fed up for the past week of this behavior from them. He might have a talk with them, but you hope he doesn't do anything too reckless that will reveal you two.

While you were caught up in your thoughts, the sounds of a lamb bleating pulled you away. A lamb? Furrowing your brows, you lifted your head up to see that the eight of you had stumbled upon another village. You were quick to smile at the sight. Everyone felt in a better mood to see other people and a new place to explore. Solji turned to face you all with a small smile, looking graceful as always.

"I'll be searching for an Inn with Hyojin-a," Solji stated. The angels nodded and that's when Namjoon realized this was the opening. He could use this moment. Solji didn't have a task for any of them and usually let them wander freely once they were in a village. Namjoon had free range to do as he pleased. He smirked, waving as Solji and Hyojin left to find an Inn.

"I'll be borrowing Angel (F/n) for the day," Namjoon spoke firmly. Those three angels in particular were stiff as he looked them over. "I'll allow my other shadow to join if she pleases, but other than that I don't want to be overwhelmed with others."

"We understand." Jeonghwa bowed with a weak smile.

"Are you going with them, Hwayoung?" Hyelin questioned. Eyes turned to Hwayoung, but she was busy looking around at the village.

"If the King allows me, I'd like to explore the village on my own," Hwayoung said.

"Feel free to." Namjoon grinned. He knew he liked Hwayoung for a reason! Hwayoung bowed gratefully before walking off by herself. He crossed his arms as he stared at those three angels. "You have no tasks, so how about I give you girls one?"

"What do you have in mind?" Heeyeon took charge.

"Get us money. Lots of it." Namjoon tilted his head. "Do you think you can handle that?"

"Money?" Jeonghwa's brows knitted together.

"How—" Hyelin was about to start until Heeyeon put her hand on her chest.

"I will lead this task well!" Heeyeon bowed.

"Don't cause trouble, Unnie." You warned.

She scoffed at your words, rounding up Jeonghwa and Hyelin with her. They marched off into the village confidently for the first few steps. After a short while, Heeyeon sighed heavily to herself. The task of getting money distracted her. Well, d*mn. It was too late for her to say anything now that Jeonghwa and Hyelin were looking at her on what to do next. She might as well teach these kids a thing or two about hustling men out of their money. It's quite the useful skill. Namjoon and you watched them head straight towards a drinking house. You figured Heeyeon would go straight towards drunk men. Of course. There's no point in being surprised.

Turning to face Namjoon, you smiled up at him. Now it was finally just the two of you for the rest of the day. It hadn't fully clicked until now. Just the two of you for the whole day? A blush spread across your cheeks to think of how romantic this could be. The King was turning a bright shade of pink, not wanting to waste this time the two of you have together. What to do? He couldn't ruin this opportunity but it was on the spot so there shouldn't be any expectations, right? Clasping your hands together, you waited for him to lead the way. You'll follow as always.

"What do you have in mind, Namjoon?" You hummed.

"I suppose..." Namjoon rubbed his chin nervously as he looked around. That's when his eyes landed on a small shop. "Are you hungry? I would like some food."

"Food sounds lovely!" You nodded, locking arms with the King. It was hard not to gush as you went with him to the little shop.

It was a cozy little space with seating inside. You figured Namjoon would prefer to eat in here. The two of you would be less likely to get caught in the middle of this 'task'. It was truly an important task only you could fulfill. The two of you were giddy as you sat down on the floor in near a table. Staying at villages was one of the few times Namjoon and you could feel like normal lovers. He wasn't recognized as King to them. The two of you were able to sit peacefully without any unwanted interruptions. It was the best thing. Only on occasions did not being recognized as King got on Namjoon's nerves and that was when he felt he didn't get the respect he deserved.

Namjoon still had a bit of money from the last time you guys were in a village. With that, he used it to buy two bowls of noodles for the both of you. He insisted on paying even though you had a few coins. They were inside a small pouch tied to your waist. You could confidently walk around with your money since any thief would regret it in an instant. Swaying in your seat, you happily smiled at Namjoon as the both of you waited for your meal to arrive. Only a few others were in the shop with you guys and they were busy at their own tables.

"I don't know if it was just me, but...I felt something was off with those three angels," Namjoon spoke. His eyes stayed on the table, his voice quiet. He was hesitant to bring it up and you could understand why. You stopped swaying to listen to him. "I don't want to believe that they would know or have the slightest suspicion of us. That still doesn't mean I want to act oblivious...what do you think?"

"Ah, that is complicated." You sighed as you looked back on the way those three had behaved. If they did know then some of their behavior would make sense. Your stomach flipped in worry if they had actually caught on. The only thing that possibly made you think otherwise was timing. "...I'm not sure if they fully know. I feel as if they would have said something by now."

"Well, you know them better than I do." Namjoon finally brought his eyes up to meet yours. He gave you a bright smile while you only gave him a weak one. "No, you can do better than that." He chuckled, reaching over the table to get a hold of your hand. The smile grew wider from his actions and it didn't take much for you to blush in front of him. "How adorable."

"You're sweet." You shyly shook your head. You looked off to the side, your mind still wandering on your fellow angels. They'll learn eventually, but you were almost hoping they never knew. Did that include Hwayoung though? Namjoon noticed you were still in your thoughts about the situation.

"Let's just look on the brighter side today. They haven't said anything yet so let's have our fun." Namjoon squeezed your hand. Nodding to his words, you silently agreed as the bowls of food arrived at the table.

The food was absolutely delicious. You let that and Namjoon distract you from any worries you were having. It was going to be okay. You trusted Fate to make things okay. Only once did your mind wander off when eating with Namjoon. It went back to when you stumbled onto that strange man in Seokjin's market. Jungkook led you inside that dark tent where you met Yoongi. You could barely recall the things he told you anymore besides him mentioning that he was changing things. He apparently knew your Fate and was fixing it. Could he be trusted? You weren't so sure, but if he was actually fixing things then you hope you get a happy ending.

You were able to enjoy your time with Namjoon even with the way things started off. The other girls were busy doing their own things. The two of you had this day together. No one else could interrupt. Namjoon was able to hold your hand and give you as many kisses as he pleased in public. When the two of you finished eating, you were both back to strolling around the village. Neither of you wanted to stay out for too long. The others might want to tag along or they might catch the both of you. You were being careful as you followed Namjoon around. He was searching for a new place to take you, eventually stumbling upon a boutique.

The male peered through the open doors, smiling at what he saw inside. Did he want to shop? You didn't have enough money to buy anything. That made you nervous, but Namjoon promised everything would be fine. He pulled you inside and told you that looking around was a good excuse. You just decided to listen to him. It's not like you ever bought anything when you were back in the capital. All you ever did was stare at the pretty hanboks and imagined yourself wearing them. You would always daydream living a normal life. One where you came from a noble family still and knew how to be a proper lady. Then you would also imagine a handsome guard falling in love with you, but instead you got yourself the King. That's pretty good too.

You held Namjoon's hand inside the boutique, letting him take you around. He must have had a certain image in his head since he was searching with intent eyes. There was nothing in particular that you were looking for. Everything was so eye catching that you didn't know what to choose. They were colorful and beautiful as always. You sighed wistfully at the dresses, noticing other women where already wearing one as they looked around. Biting your lip, you looked down at your own attire. A bit dirty with not much color. It was a bunch of brown, black, and a bit of red. That was as much color as you got. There was also the fact that you had armor on and it was styled like men's attire. Now you were feeling embarrassed as you stood in the shop.

"We should go," You mumbled to the King.

"Why?" Namjoon was skimming through fabric. He was paying more attention to the clothes than you, no longer holding your hand as you shifted awkwardly behind him.

"I...I don't belong here." You frowned. "Let's go find something else."

The King stopped looking immediately once you said that. He turned to face you, grabbing your arms. What was he doing? Staring at him with big eyes, you waited for him to say something. Namjoon only looked around at the others intensely. You weren't exactly sure what he was doing until his eyes connected with yours again. You were going to ask if everything was okay when he randomly pecked your lips. Next thing you know, you're getting dragged over to an older woman. She was dressed a lot better than you and looked elegant. Just standing in front her made you feel embarrassed. Why did Namjoon bring you over to this stranger?

"Hello, my love here was wondering if she could try on a hanbok. We're traveling so she can't wear any pretty gowns like she wanted." Namjoon was using all his charm to convince the woman. "Would it be possible to let her try on just one and that will be all?"

"Just try on?" The older woman raised a brow, looking Namjoon and you over. She seemed on the fence before her eyes caught onto something. You weren't quite sure what it was, but it quickly had her changing her attitude towards the two of you. She clasped her hands with a large smile. "Of course! Right this way!"

"O-Oh, thank you." You stumbled as she tugged you away from Namjoon.

"Aigoo, what a handsome husband you have!" The woman cooed, quickly going through hanboks. You turned red immediately from her words. Husband? Flutters went off through your chest at the thought. You can't wait for when that will actually be true. "He's also luck for having such a pretty wife!"

"You're very kind." You smiled softly.

"And I found just the thing! It'll match your hairpin well." She held the hanbok in her hands. You were about to reach out towards it until she smacked your hand. "I will help you!"

"That's not—o-okay." You were only getting tugged away behind a curtain. She must think you're a lady who gets dressed by servants. Namjoon at least looked wealthy, but you didn't in the least bit. It didn't take you long to figure out that your hairpin was the main reason she was bothering to treat you kindly. You had a lot of money just tucked in your hair every day, but to you it was your first present ever. Its meaning was a lot more important than its worth.

As the woman undressed you and got you into the hanbok, you tried imaging how Namjoon grew up considering this normal. It made you want to laugh. He's a smart man though so you taught him how to do it himself. You don't know if he'll continue to do it himself or go back to using the help of his servants when you all return. It just felt like it took longer when someone else did it. When the woman finished, she bowed and walked out to call Namjoon over. He's going to see how it looks already? You weren't even quite sure how it appeared on you. From what you could tell, the jeogori was a powder pink with a dark violet ribbon on your chest. The sleeves had little flowers stitched in just like the top of your long skirt. The skirt was a pale yellow that puffed out around you. It looked pretty in your opinion. You were already swaying, watching the fabric of the skirt sway with your body.

"You look beautiful." Namjoon's voice surprised you. Turning your head in his direction, you gave him a large grin.

"Namjoon!" You rushed over to him with your arms out. The man chuckled, quickly pulling you into a hug. That's when he lifted you up and even doing a little twirl.

"See? I can hold you easily like this." Namjoon brought you back down, keeping you close in his arms. You giggled and shook your head at him. He's still on that? It's been weeks since the peach tree incident. "You're meant to be like this. In a pretty dress and not lifting a single finger to do work."

"That sounds a bit boring," You admitted. Namjoon rolled his eyes before kissing your nose.

"You'll have responsibilities as Queen. You just won't be wearing armor anymore or being told what to do." Namjoon nodded to himself. He was set on the life he wanted to give you and you weren't so sure how to feel about it. You weren't necessarily against his ideal life for you. It was similar to what you used to imagine. You just worried you wouldn't be a good Queen for the nation. Was it possible to be his wife and not have the royal part? "You're worrying again. I see it in your eyes."

"...do you think I'll be a good Queen?" You asked him. Namjoon smiled softly at you, bringing his hands up to your face.

"You're capable of so much more than me. I'm certain you'll be a great Queen." Namjoon kissed your forehead.

"But I can't open a puzzle jewelry box on my own," You stated to see him laugh right away. You loved seeing his smile so much. Namjoon only pecked your lips, keeping his hands on your face.

"And I will always help you open it when you need me." Namjoon kissed you again. "My beautiful Queen."

"My handsome King." You brought your own hands up to cup his face. It didn't take long for you to start playing with his face. Luckily, Namjoon let you stretch his cheeks out seeing as he was pinching yours playfully.

Going to the boutique was a lot more fun than you expected it to be. The hanbok was really pretty so Namjoon promised to buy you all kinds once the two of you return to the palace. It was sweet on his part. You used to be uncomfortable with the idea of becoming Queen and sometimes it still didn't feel right, but you were trying to open yourself up to it. It was inevitable if you wanted to be with Namjoon. He was just glad you loved him for him rather than using him for the high position. That certainly was never your goal. Your life goal was always just to protect him and keep him safe for as long as you live. The only thing that's changed to your goal is that you added one more thing. Love him.

The two of you were back to walking around the village. This time the both of you were searching for Solji or Hyojin. Either one of them would work. Namjoon and you had enough fun out in the village. The King was going to use the excuse that he wanted to rest in his room already. You would be left to watch him, earning more privacy. You were in your armored uniform again that made you stick out. That also made the other angels easier to find too. They weren't Solji and Hyojin though. Namjoon sighed to himself the moment those three angels noticed them. Heeyeon waved with Hyelin and Jeonghwa with her. You could already see new pouches attached to each of the girl's belts.

"Hello, my King!" They all bowed.

"Do you know where the Inn we're staying at is?" Namjoon asked.

"It should be at the end of the village," Jeonghwa said.

"Thank you." Namjoon nodded at the girls.

"Are you all finished stealing money?" You smiled as Heeyeon's eye twitched.

"It's not stealing when they willingly give it to you or lose it!" Heeyeon huffed. "You know, I taught these two some valuable skills today."

"Unnie taught us some bad things." Hyelin grinned, happily patting her pouch full of money.

"As long as you don't cause any trouble for us then fine." Namjoon chuckled in amusement.

"We'll probably have to go in the Inn soon." Heeyeon pursed her lips.

"I want to spend my money." Jeonghwa pouted her bottom lip.

"We should!" Hyelin bounced on her toes.

"Oh, what the hell! We deserve to spend on ourselves." Heeyeon smirked. The girls all cheered before parting ways with you two. You bit your tongue, tempted to tell the girls that it wasn't even their money to begin with. You don't know what that unnie is teaching them. You could only shake your head at them as you went to find the Inn with Namjoon.

The Inn was exactly where Jeonghwa said it would be. The village was small so it luckily wasn't too hard to find. As soon as Namjoon and you stepped in, the owner pointed out the rooms that were paid for by the eldest's. Your uniform completely gave it away that you were associated with them. At least getting into the rooms wasn't too hard. Based off what was inside each of the rooms, you were able to see which one was meant for the King to stay in. Namjoon stretched his arms above his head as you stepped inside the room with him. As soon as the two of you were alone, Namjoon had his ideas on how to spend the time.

*~*

Hyojin finished using the bathroom inside the Inn. She figured she would just nap inside her room until the rest of the angels came by. Solji left to go search for a place to eat dinner at later. It was hard getting that angel to stay still. Hyojin let her do responsibilities, taking her chance to have free time. One of the other angels had to at least bump into Solji and help her out. Maybe Hwayoung or (F/n). She trusted you two the most out of the angels. Those other three could just be too idiotic for the second eldest. Hyojin yawned, walking down the hall over to the rooms. She was about to head into her own room when she heard a sound nearby. It was too close.

Her brows knitted together as she stepped away from her door. It sounded like voices were coming from the room the King was supposed to stay at. Did he find the Inn? Hyojin kept her hand hovering over her sword just in case as she walked to the new door. It was closed, but there was the smallest slit in the door that she could see through. She leaned in close as she shut her left eye. It was hard to get a proper view until she finally saw you in the room. You were only in your undergarments though. Hyojin frowned before she saw the King push you onto the bed. The angel turned a dark shade of red, immediately reacting to what she just saw.

Covering her mouth, she stepped away from the door and began walking out of the Inn completely. (F/n) and the King? Hyojin was shaking her head in disbelief. She would have realized if there was something truly going on between those two and yet she didn't. Not once did she ever have a clue. Instead she had to catch the two...Hyojin screamed into her hands, wanting to know exactly how long this had been going on for. She has to tell Solji! Or should she confront the King about this himself? Hyojin paused in her steps, questioning if this relationship was even stoppable in the first place. Would he listen to Solji at all? Crap.


	35. So Be It

Ch.34

The list of people aware grew by one. Hyojin may have become aware yet remained silent for a week. She made attempts at first to bring it up to Solji, but the timing was never there. Others were always in around them or Solji was too preoccupied with her own responsibilities. Solji was too busy to spare a minute that it had Hyojin thinking. Would it be better if she didn't say anything at all? She wasn't sure if this was a temporary thing. Maybe Namjoon was using you almost as a concubine, but she couldn't be sure. She didn't trust bringing it up to the others though she did consider asking Hwayoung. Then at the same time, Hwayoung was your best friend. Maybe she would refuse to open up about it in order to protect you. It left her stumped, so she decided to abandon it altogether. She'll allow Fate to take care of the situation.

A lot of time had passed since Jeonghwa first seen the two of you. It's been officially another month and the eight of you were nearing the middle of the third month. It was the final one before all you eventually met Lady Eunchae. Your time with Namjoon was running out, but he told you not to think like that. He's going to stay with you no matter what. He assured you that there was no end. You hoped so. The only thing that made you nervous was eventually confessing the truth to the angels. You brought up the idea of discussing it alone with the angels, but Namjoon wouldn't allow it. With how nervous you were acting, he felt hesitant to leave you with six trained soldiers. He had to be there when it happened.

You just didn't know when that would happen. It could be done tonight or not at all. There was no definite time set and you still didn't feel ready. Would you ever? At this point, you left it in Namjoon's hands. Whenever he wants to tell them is when you'll be ready. He only kissed your hands and told you to wait one more week. That's when he would have all the angels sit down so the both of you could tell them the truth. Seeing as you considered them all your sisters, you hoped they would eventually come to terms with it and accept it. They might not be fond of it at first and you're prepared to expect a sour first reaction. You'll take whatever reaction they give you as long as they realize you genuinely love Namjoon.

Because that's the truth. You've grown to truly love Namjoon with all your heart. He's easily become one of the best things in your life. You've never had someone whose made you this happy. He's incredibly caring and understanding. He's like your rock to hold onto which is nice. You're able to breathe when you're with him. For years you've grown up being trained to be strong and rely on yourself. The chances to accept your feminine side were minimal. It's not like pouring tea made you a woman, but you just appreciate wearing a dress now and then. You enjoyed not dressing like a man and being acknowledged as a woman in Namjoon's eyes. He didn't see you as some strange bulky savage. He made you feel beautiful.

In your daydreams, you always imagined yourself as some pretty lady with the best manners. Soft spoken and maybe not as muscular. You would be excellent at cooking and you'd drink tea more often. Maybe you would enjoy reading and your handwriting wouldn't look like some abstract painting. You'd be educated and you would love learning rather than getting a rush from sparring. But none of that was you no matter how hard you tried. You're loud, you can't cook, you're slow with reading, and you can't change who you are. Yet despite all that, Namjoon makes you feel like the girl in your daydreams. That wasn't crazy, right?

You hope that's something that they can understand. Hwayoung should understand that. Her reaction is what made you the most nervous for some reason. It didn't make sense though. She has a lover too. The both of you practically have the same situation. Yours may be a little extreme here and there, but not too far off. Right? You were feeling nervous again as you walked with all the angels. Namjoon was walking by your side, glancing at you regularly. He could see it on your face easily. When you weren't forcing a stoic face, all your emotions could be easily read on your face. He took a look around to make sure the other angels weren't watching when he wrapped his arm around your waist. Your brows leaped at the random touch, looking up at Namjoon immediately.

"What happened to not worrying about the future?" Namjoon whispered.

"I know," You mumbled. You took in a deep breath as you gave him a smile. "It's off my mind now. I'm doing better."

"Good. Unless you need my help getting your mind off things..." Namjoon suggested, bringing his hand slightly lower. You immediately narrowed your eyes on him. His behavior is too risky right now and not appreciated. The male began to whistle, pulling his hand away from you as if he never did anything. You shook your head playfully at him and smiled again. He's lucky you adore him so much.

But he did it again. He got you to smile and stop thinking about the things that made you gloomy. At least they became smaller worries. Though Namjoon took a few steps away from you, pretending he hadn't suggested scandalous things, he had done that on purpose. He knew exactly how to lift your spirits. That left you grateful towards him. Sighing softly to yourself, you wished you could hug him at this very moment. Unfortunately the other angels were only a few feet away and they looked back at the two of you a lot. It was still the same three angels to a degree. They had toned it down in the past week, but you did notice a new pair of eyes.

Were you being paranoid?

You've asked yourself this question multiple times. It feels as if Hyojin looks over at you more than she ever has this entire trip. She still didn't look at you as much as those three ever did so maybe it was all in your head. It was hard for you to fully let go of the idea of them catching on by themselves. They're smart girls and could figure it out if they really tried. They've never really shown strong warning signs though. Well, you have one last week of privacy with Namjoon before the two of you plan to tell them. It won't matter at that point anymore how many times those four angels looked in your direction. You'll just tell yourself that everything is fine as always.

And if you stayed in your thoughts any longer about this, you'll definitely look suspicious to them. You waved those thoughts off as you walked closer to Hwayoung. The corners of her lips slightly lifted as the two of you walked together. Jeonghwa giggled as she pointed out how you both were walking at the same pace. When your right leg took a step, so did Hwayoung's. Heeyeon called the two of you 'twins' which you hadn't heard in a while. It was mainly the former Queen who referred to Hwayoung and you by that when you guys were younger. Hyelin hopped next to you both, wanting to join in the synchronized march.

That only got Heeyeon and Jeonghwa wanting to do the same thing. They jumped in line, keeping up with you guys and scolding anyone who ruined it. Hwayoung shook your head and muttered that she was only walking. Wrapping your arm around her shoulders, you chuckled lightly at how she was acting. You weren't too surprised by her reaction. As you walked forward, you looked over at Namjoon to see him moving his legs the same way. Was that on purpose? You were about to point it out until Hwayoung came to a sudden halt. All the girls did as you finally looked forward to see Solji pausing in front of a river. It was in the way, making Solji sigh.

"We have a river in the way, but..." Solji walked closer as to take a look at the rushing water. "It doesn't look too deep and the current isn't aggressive either." She turned around to face all of you.

"So we just walk right through it?" Hyojin asked.

"There's no rocks to jump on?" Namjoon interrupted. The male frowned, seeing the wide river stretch far. It didn't look like there was any visible spot that made crossing easier.

"Do you not want to get your clothes wet?" Heeyeon asked.

"We can all carry you!" Hyelin smiled.

"Don't be ridiculous." Hwayoung shook her head.

"I suppose I can walk through..." Namjoon pursed his lips. He looked at the moving water with a sigh until a fish suddenly flipped itself out of the water. It jumped high up before landing back in the water again.

"Oh! Fish!" You cheered, clapping your hands excitedly together.

"I want one!" Heeyeon gasped, running into the water as she pulled out her dagger. Solji stretched her hand out towards her, but it was too late. Hyelin and Jeonghwa were jumping into the knee deep water, stabbing their draggers anytime a fish swam near.

"Sure, we can refill our pouches and eat fish..." Solji sighed, putting her hands on her hips. The younger angels all appeared pretty excited to pull out their own fish.

"Your Majesty, do you want a fish?" You asked as you went into the water.

"Uh, no thank you." Namjoon shook his hand. He was not a fan of eating fish or any animal from the water in general. The King flinched as he watched Hyojin successfully stab a fish. He felt bad for the animal, staying near Solji while the rest of you got enough to eat for lunch.

Solji didn't think much of the situation while Namjoon scrunched his face up. Heeyeon and Jeonghwa were using their arrows, squealing every time a fish struggled to escape them. Water splashed around as the fishes panicked. Hwayoung and you were easily able to capture one and that was enough. You were fine with your catch and then there was Hyelin. That unnie was trying to catch a fish with her bare hands. What was she thinking? She shoved her hands in the water, grabbing onto a fish before hissing and releasing it. The fish's fins were a lot sharper than she thought.

Eventually all the girls had fishes, bringing them on the other side of the river. The only problem was Namjoon who really didn't want to wet his clothes. Hwayoung and you ended up carrying him over. It was clear the King was embarrassed while Hwayoung and you contained your laughter. You so badly wanted to laugh, but it wasn't appropriate. You bit your tongue to prevent anything from slipping. Hwayoung just kept clearing her throat, refusing to look Namjoon in the eye. As soon as he was back on the dry ground, he marched off with Solji and Hyojin. He didn't want to deal with the embarrassment as Hwayoung and you finally laughed together.

It was all in good fun though. No harm done. Once Solji found a place to rest for the time being, you rushed over to Namjoon. You were going to get firewood so they could heat up the fishes and make them eatable. The angels were all chatting away with each other, so you told Namjoon he could join you to find firewood. It's up to him if he wants to come with you or not. You went down a wooded area, collecting wood until you bumped into a large boulder. You might as well turn back and bring this over to the girls. Just as you did, you saw Namjoon right in front of you with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He had his tongue poking the inside of his cheek as he looked down at you.

"You did come!" You smiled to see him still giving you a light glare. A gentle sigh left your lips because of that. "All we did was carry you and it wasn't a problem. Who cares if his Royal Majesty doesn't want to get his clothes wet?"

"Mocking me isn't helping your case." Namjoon leaned down, narrowing his eyes on you. He might have intimidated you in the past, but you weren't afraid. You dropped your wood entirely to place your hands on the side of his face. All you did was gently keep him still without any force as you leaned in to press your lips against his. A few seconds passed before he began to kiss you back. By then, you pulled away with a smile. "You...what was I mad over again?"

"Of course." You laughed, collecting your wood again. "Let's go back now."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here a little longer?" Namjoon wiggled his brows, watching you walk away. You were listening, but you felt like you gave him enough for now. You didn't want the others getting suspicious. "Ugh, fine."

Namjoon followed you back to the angels with a bored expression. He wasn't going to eat any fish and it's not like he could do anything with you. All he was able to do was just sit there as the angels got rowdy around him. He listened in to what they were saying, laughing every once and a while. You were currently cooking your fish carefully, focusing all your attention on it when the d*mn thing fell directly into the fire. You let out a scream for your food as Hwayoung bent over laughing. It wasn't funny! That's your food! You kicked your legs in frustration, watching the thing just turn black as it got burnt. You were certain you weren't going to eat anything when Hyojin handed you a fish. She had an extra? Grinning at her, you thanked her happily.

Giving you a fish was a lot better than just laughing! Hwayoung kept snickering every time she replayed the memory in her head. You don't understand what her deal is, but it wasn't that funny. She's just being mean to you and for no reason at that! When you finished with cooking the fish up, you ate it quietly without saying anything. All you did was stuff your mouth in the time the girls all began to talk about the future. Something you would normally like to avoid.

"Do you remember Lady Eunchae at all?" Jeonghwa tilted her head as she nibbled on her fish.

"She only visited the palace twice when the King was younger," Solji stated, humming in thought. "She was a very elegant girl even at her young age. She's older than his Majesty and mainly spoke to her abeoji."

"She kind of frightened me so I stayed away." Hyojin laughed, flicking away a piece of bone.

"Frightened? _You_ of all people?" Hyelin blinked with her big eyes. She was quick to scoff in disbelief. "She must be scary if she got you to shiver."

"Well, Hyojin unnie was young then too," Heeyeon reasoned with a mouth full. She chewed for a bit before furrowing her brows. "But Unnie is still older than her."

"You'll all be fine as long as you treat the Lady with respect." Solji used the water from her pouch to clean her hands. The angels all nodded silently meanwhile you looked off at the woods. "I'm quite thrilled to meet Lady Eunchae. It's been years and I'm sure she's grown into a beautiful young woman. She'll help lead this nation well, won't she?"

"She'll save the Kim Dynasty as well," Hwayoung said. You had stopped eating completely due to the conversation. It felt as if they were warning you and telling you to let go of Namjoon. You didn't want to.

"A pure blood Dynasty will live on." Solji nodded as she looked over at Namjoon with a smile. "Are you excited to talk to her, my King? You must be since she is your cousin." Eyes moved over to the King who had been quiet this entire time. He became stiff, shocked to see so many of them staring at him curiously.

"Oh...well, I have a lot to talk to her about." Namjoon gave them a tightlipped smile. He had to explain that their marriage wasn't going to actually happen. All the angels were completely unaware of that no matter what some of them had seen.

"Like baby names!" Solji clasped her hands together excitedly. "Have you put any thought to names you would want to give your child?"

"Er...no." Namjoon shifted uncomfortably, keeping his gaze on his lap. If he looked up then he would look over at you and make it obvious to the others. You currently weren't feeling so good. The fish wasn't sitting well and all you took was one bite. It felt a little hard to breathe, but you told yourself you were only being dramatic. It still felt odd though that you were suddenly lightheaded for no reason.

"I'm certain Lady Eunchae and you will create the most beautiful children." Solji cooed fondly. She didn't see anything wrong with the things she was saying. It would have been okay if Namjoon actually planned to be with Lady Eunchae, but he didn't want to be. He weakly smiled as the four angels slowly started to see his true feelings about the conversation. They became quiet as you stood up randomly. All eyes turned to you in confusion. You didn't feel okay. Your legs were trembling as you smiled at them.

"I'm going to take a walk...I don't feel well." You managed to squeeze out that sentence without stuttering. The angels nodded at your words. You just had to get away. The conversation was already upsetting to hear that it soured your mood and meal. Walking away from the girls, you found yourself going the same path you went when searching for wood. It didn't take you long for you to find the huge boulder. Staring at it tiredly, you felt like crying. Keeping the relationship secret was starting to become painfully exhausting. How long can you endure this week?

Without you at the fire, the angels were slow to start talking again. Jeonghwa and Hyelin nervously began talking about the weather. Everything felt wrong at the moment. Namjoon wasn't looking at the girls anymore. His head was stuck facing the direction you had left in. The look on your face had him worrying for you. He kept shaking his leg impatiently, wanting to run after you yet he knew that would raise alarms if any of the angels were onto them. He just couldn't stay still. If you weren't feeling well then he didn't want you wandering the woods all by yourself. Namjoon couldn't take it anymore as he got onto his feet, confusing Hwayoung and Solji. The only ones not lost were Jeonghwa, Hyelin, Heeyeon, and Hyojin. Instead, they were almost moved.

"I'm going to check on Angel (F/n)." Namjoon started following after you.

"Wait, your Majesty!" Solji stood up with her brows knitted together. "That's not necessary. You can stay here while one of us checks on her."

"No. It has to be me." Namjoon frowned.

"What does that mean?" Hwayoung tilted her head at his words.

"Your Majesty—" Solji called after him, but Namjoon was already running off. The eldest was speechless and clueless on what was going on. She sighed heavily before shaking her own head. She couldn't believe the King would act so recklessly. He could be in the woods alone with you, but not if you didn't feel well. You weren't in any condition to protect him if you felt sick. Someone else had to be there.

"I'll go after them." Hwayoung stood up just as Solji took a step forward.

"Are you sure?" Solji asked. Hwayoung nodded, wanting to know exactly what the King had to mean by his words. Why does it have to be him?

"I think you should both stay here and let the King talk to (F/n) unnie." Jeonghwa smiled at the two. Heads turned to her immediately. "O-Only because the King looked really upset when Solji unnie tried to stop him! I'd imagine he wouldn't want anyone going after him."

"I think that's true!" Hyelin agreed instantly. Solji found this odd and Hwayoung shared the same thought. What was going on?

"(F/n) is a strong girl! She just needs to take a couple of breaths and she'll be fine!" Heeyeon waved her hand, laughing exaggeratedly. "Come sit! Let's give her the space she wanted in the first place!"

"I also think...that it's best to stay here." Hyojin coughed. Solji and Hwayoung stared at the angels silently for the longest time.

The four angels gave Namjoon time to find you. He tried using the skills he was taught when he was trained to be a fighter. He forgot a lot of them and was rusty, but it led him to you. He saw you leaning against the boulder taking big breaths. He felt so relieved the moment he spotted you, finally relaxing to see you were okay. He wouldn't be able to rest if you were in pain. Namjoon came closer, making you aware of his presence. When did he get here? You faced him in surprise and confusion at the same time. How is he here? What did he tell the angels? Namjoon looked down at you, checking you over quietly.

"What are you doing here?" You questioned.

"What does it look like? Do you think I would let you be alone when you say you don't feel well?" Namjoon placed his hand on your forehead. You smiled at him for showing how much he cares. Taking his hand off your forehead, you held it in your own. "How are you feeling?" He gave you a smile back.

"Better now that I took a few breaths...that's all I really needed." You shrugged as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry for that conversation. I hated it," Namjoon admitted with a sigh.

"It's okay. They don't know so we can't blame them," You stated. "I'm the one in the wrong for ruining the purpose of this mission."

"No, you are not." Namjoon was quick to correct you.

Two angels had gone off to track the two of you. They both grew annoyed with the other angels who kept spitting out random words. None of them were making any sense to them. Why did they want Namjoon and you to be left alone? It wasn't a big deal in their opinion. They doubted the King would throw a huge fuss over it. He may have a temper at times, but this could be easily explainable. Solji planned on talking to those four angels later though. She wanted to know what exactly they were hiding. Why were they acting so suspicious? But then those questions were slowly finding themselves answers as her and Hwayoung spotted the King and his shadow.

Hwayoung and Solji stayed hidden, trying to understand the situation. So far nothing too strange occurred besides the King being oddly caring towards you. He was treating you with a lot more attention than they were used to. They didn't know what to make of it and were careful not to make their own conclusions. They looked at each other nervously, worried that this was what the four angels were hiding. Solji wanted answers though so she prepared herself for anything while Hwayoung thought differently. Her eyes narrowed on the two of you, her heart pounding as she wished there wasn't something she didn't know about going on.

"I don't care about Lady Eunchae. I don't want to marry her and there is no way in hell I'm letting her be the mother of my children." Namjoon placed his hand on your cheek. "You're the one I love. You're the one who I'm going to marry. You're going to have my children. You're my Queen."

"I'm sorry you have to reassure me of this so much..." You looked down at the ground.

"You have reason to be insecure. I understand...it's not like I will receive any punishment from this. You're putting your life on the line agreeing to be mine." Namjoon rubbed your cheek with his thumb. "It's making you anxious for a reason...I'm sorry being with me is so difficult."

"I would be with you no matter how difficult." You smiled as he swooned at your words. "I love you, Namjoon."

"And I love you so, so much." Namjoon chuckled, bringing you into a tight embrace. The two of you leaned closer to kiss passionately. The both of you would do anything to remain together. You weren't letting go of this man and he would never let you slip from his fingers. You were his and he was yours.

Finally the rest of the angels knew. Solji and Hwayoung watched silently, unable to believe what they were witnessing. Multiple questions were storming Solji's mind. She felt tempted to stop Namjoon and you in this moment, but she had to think. That wasn't the best course of action at the moment. This also meant the others knew and never mentioned it to her. Why didn't they? Solji was starting to freak out, taking a couple steps back. She had to take steps away from the scene unless she wanted to get her and Hwayoung caught. This mission was starting to turn into a disaster. They traveled this far for what felt like nothing at this point. Solji was practically hyperventilating compared to the shadow who watched without saying a word.

Hwayoung had many mixed feelings about this. She didn't know what exactly to think. You loved the King and he loved you? She felt completely lost from the loop. You never once mentioned this to her. Did you not trust her? She frowned, replaying the conversation you had with Namjoon. Something about it was making her and Solji take the situation differently. It felt as if Namjoon loved you more than you loved him. The King was settled on making you his Queen no matter what. There were no questions for him while Hwayoung was left to think as angel protecting their King. She couldn't be your friend and neither could Solji as they watched. They had to protect the King first. So if they had to see you as a potential enemy...so be it.


	36. Intentions

Ch.35

All of them officially knew what was going on between you and the King. They had caught you in a secret relationship with his Majesty and remained silent. They kept it to themselves not knowing the others knew as well. Now Solji and Hwayoung knew, adding to the issue. The situation grew more complicated as they thought about the consequences of your relationship with the King. It wasn't as simple as letting you be with him just because you made him happy. Happiness could always fade. It could also be faked. They didn't want to risk that. Though they knew you, Solji and Hwayoung had to question your true character whether they wanted to or not.

Solji and Hwayoung needed answers. They needed to know everything since it was hard to trust the few minutes they witnessed Namjoon and you alone together. How much were they supposed to grasp from that moment alone? They quickly returned back to the angels, lying by saying they changed their minds on talking to you both. That appeared to make all four relax. They shouldn't stay too comfortable. Solji was planning on questioning all of them the next time she got the chance. Hwayoung only nodded along to the plans Solji made, trying to ignore the own hurt she felt.

You were right there. Her best friend and she couldn't even talk to you about her emotions. It would only reveal what she saw so she couldn't. Solji already warned her to be absolutely quiet about it. If Hwayoung were at all to mention it or warn you then she would face her own consequences. They had to protect the King which unfortunately meant questioning you and your true intentions. The relationship felt so sudden so something had to be done quick. There wasn't much time left before they arrive to the home of Lady Eunchae.

And you didn't know a thing. You thought you knew what the others knew and that you were only a little paranoid at best. Still, you were certain that you were fine. There was nothing to worry about when it came to the other angels knowing your relationship with the King. Namjoon has assured you a lot that they don't know and other things too. He promised everything was okay so you believed him. You wanted to because it was easier on yourself. You didn't want to worry about your relationship with Namjoon being in trouble or your own safety. You just wanted to live as if everything were normal.

"I'm going to talk to you and the other angels except (F/n) and the King," Solji whispered to Hyojin who was next to her. Hyojin's eyes flashed with an emotion that Solji caught. She wanted to sigh and stop everything right now, but she needed to plan this out carefully. She doesn't want you or the King panicking. "Alert the others but be subtle. I don't want those two knowing."

"Yes." Hyojin nodded.

She felt her own mix of emotions at her given task. Does this mean she saw something she shouldn't have? Hyojin frowned, wondering if her and Hwayoung lied about leaving the two of you alone. She couldn't ponder on that right now. With a heavy sigh, she went to the other angels to spread the word. They were all stiff once the news was passed onto them. They had the same exact thoughts as Hyojin. If they weren't allowed to mention it to you or the King then it had to be about the relationship the two of you had. Otherwise why exclude an angel from the meeting? They all looked over at Hwayoung who had remained completely silent.

They could barely get Hwayoung to talk. She was always silent and in her own head, but they wondered how she felt about the situation. If she truly knew what was going either from yesterday or if she heard it from you herself. You were the only person who could get Hwayoung to talk and express her emotions without holding back. The friendship between the two of you might change from this day forward. All the angels felt bad as Solji came to a pause. You were only talking with Namjoon when you realized they had all come to a stop. The King furrowed his brows just as you looked at Solji for answers. She turned to face all of you, everyone's eyes on her.

"I'm feeling a bit faint. Is it alright if we search for berries? Nothing too heavy," Solji said.

"You're not feeling well again?" You frowned. Solji looked at you quietly, slowly giving you a small smile as she nodded. You were quick to look at Namjoon who blinked at the eldest.

"How long have you not been feeling well?" Namjoon questioned.

"Only for a bit," Solji answered with a gentle shrug. That was enough for Namjoon to give all the other angels a stern look.

"We'll search now. You stay here and have an angel stay with you," Namjoon ordered.

"Thank you, my King." Solji bowed.

Namjoon and you were quick to leave the area. Neither of you looked back, the both of you determined to find a handful of berries. That was the immediate reaction from the two of you to hear Solji was feeling sick again. Except she didn't truly feel that way. Her health was perfectly fine, but there were things she needed to discuss with the angels. Things that involved the King and you but couldn't actually have either of you present. Especially not the King. Solji waited until she was certain that the both of you were gone. She kept her arms crossed while the other angels thought it was convenient that Namjoon left with you right away without question. He always followed you everywhere despite it meant to be the other way around.

They didn't know what to think of it. All of them had mixed opinions on the matter without realizing the others were aware too. Jeonghwa was shocked but found herself warming up to the idea until she remembered Lady Eunchae. Hyelin was met with the same wall. Heeyeon and Hyojin weren't as torn over the matter. Though it was possible to overlook, maybe it was best if it ended here. The sooner the better. They didn't see the love and affection Jeonghwa and Hyelin saw. All they saw was lust while Solji and Hwayoung only saw the King's desperation to have you. He would do anything to have you and what if you knew that. What if you were abusing that?

"We're alone now." Solji sighed before narrowing her eyes on each of the girls. "It's time to talk about what all of you have been hiding from me. Did you think I would never find out?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Jeonghwa laughed awkwardly.

"Are you actually going to continue behaving like that?" Hwayoung glared at the maknae. They all became stiff, knowing it was no longer possible to get out of this anymore.

"Okay, okay...I just need to make sure." Hyelin held her hands out, slowly pointing at all the angels. "Do you guys know what _I_ know?"

"What you know?" Heeyeon blinked multiple times. "Do you know what _I_ know?"

"Wait! You know...about the King and (F/n)?" Hyojin was careful as the girls began to gasp.

"So you do know!" Jeonghwa was jumping around. "Or do you really know? What do you know?"

"That's what I want to know! Do you know what I know!?" Hyelin huffed.

"I think I know what you know, but I don't know." Heeyeon tapped her chin. "I know what I know and that's all I know!"

"What I know—"

"Enough of this!" Solji had to interrupt Hyojin. She didn't want to deal with a headache and they were wasting time. The girls sealed their lips again, watching Solji rub her temples. "Angel (F/n) is in an inappropriate relationship with the King. Hwayoung and I witnessed that yesterday and from this excruciating conversation, I see you're all aware individually. How long have you all known?" Her eyes stared intensely at all the women standing in front of her. She just needed them to speak, but they were all quiet. They were exchanging glances or shifting in their spots. They were speaking a few minutes ago, so what is with this sudden behavior? Solji scoffed, shaking her head at them. "This is important! One of you—"

"A month ago. Maybe a little over a month," Jeonghwa mumbled. She rubbed her arms, knowing that her answer was the worst one to hear. Solji looked at her in disbelief as well as Hwayoung.

"You've known for that long and you never said a thing?" Solji frowned.

"I was going to, but there was never perfect timing..." Hyojin looked down in shame. "I've only known for about a week."

"Two weeks," Heeyeon answered.

"Three weeks," Hyelin chimed in.

"So this has been going on for longer than we thought..." Solji took in this information, her jaw tightening. It would have been easier to cut this off if the two of you had just started. She couldn't wave it off as Namjoon only falling because you were a girl and you gave him attention. She could have figured a way to paint it off as fake, but not like this. Not when she didn't know how deep this relationship truly was. It could have been going on since before they all left. She turned her head to face Hwayoung. "Did you mean what you told me? That you didn't know until yesterday?"

"I didn't know."

"(F/n) really never mentioned this to you?" Solji hoped for at least something.

Hwayoung only shook her head to Solji's dismay. Another sigh left the leader, but it felt more confusing to Hwayoung. She looked back on all the times when she was alone with you and the King during the trip. Not once did she suspect the two of you were together. In her eyes things were feeling like they had in the past. She was getting too comfortable with the King though. Someone like her shouldn't be bickering with him over trivial matters. That's what she assumed happened with you. You got too comfortable and fell in love. But Namjoon was ready to give you the throne next to him. Hwayoung thought of the daydreams you used to tell her about. The ones where you were a lady in a gorgeous gown...suddenly those dreams didn't feel as innocent.

She couldn't allow herself to think of you anymore. She had to think of the King and for him. Solji was already on the same page, swallowing her emotions as she faced all the angels. All the memories, connections, and anything they held towards you had to be put away. It wasn't something they necessarily wanted to do, but what they had to do. All of them knew that without Solji having to tell them. They knew it would end like this if they were ever to tell the others. Maybe that's one of the reasons they kept quiet about it for so long. They didn't want to follow through with their responsibilities despite knowing their life's Fate.

"We have to interrogate (F/n)." Solji's eyes were hard. She could hide her feelings easier than the maknae who didn't want to participate. "All of us have to do it. We have to protect the King even if it sounds crazy. Yeon (F/n) may not be who we think she is."

"How could you say that?" Jeonghwa felt her eyes sting.

"This is for the King," Solji replied coldly.

"Unnie!" Jeonghwa cried out.

"I hate this too, Jeonghwa, but it has to be done. We don't know her intentions with the King." Hyojin ran a hand through her hair. "She's his angel. She should have known not to enter a relationship with him."

"We're on a mission to get him married as well." Heeyeon winced at the reality of the situation. "How is that something she could forget?"

"Then what about the King? Is he free from everything and why?" Hyelin stood up for you. You weren't here to defend yourself. It felt unfair to her to watch your character get torn down like this. "Just because he's King?"

"Angel Hyelin." Hwayoung warned.

"What did I say that was wrong? What?" Hyelin balled her hands into fists. "Please enlighten me! Aren't you supposed to be her best friend?" Hyelin's words struck hard with Hwayoung, tension running high between the angels

"...I know what I saw was shocking, but they said they loved each other...they looked in love." Jeonghwa pursed her lips. "You can't fake that."

"And what exactly does 'looking in love' look like?" Solji questioned. Jeonghwa became silent, swallowing the lump in her throat. She couldn't stand this conversation. She felt like she didn't know who any of her unnies were anymore. She would much rather trust you at the moment. "From what I saw, it looked like (F/n) had the King wrapped around her finger. And that's putting it harshly...I'm not saying any of this because I don't love (F/n), but I know my Fate and that's to protect the King. Even if it means cutting off friendships and doing things I might live to regret."

"Fate is sounding more like a controlling demon." Hyojin clicked her tongue.

"We have to follow what Angel Solji says and all of you know that. We have to quit wasting time," Hwayoung said, receiving a glare from Hyelin.

"So we interrogate (F/n) and then what?" Heeyeon scoffed.

"We have to know answers to proceed from there." Solji only shrugged.

"And why can't I trust that?" Heeyeon gritted her teeth. "I know how this will end and I hate it..."

"She should have known not to..." Solji responded in a weaker tone.

"I hate this so f*cking much." Hyelin laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

No one was content with what was going to take place. Not a single soul as the atmosphere now felt heavy. Nothing about this day felt good anymore. They were all feeling sick to their stomachs, trying to justify everything with Fate and pretending as if you betrayed them. Jeonghwa and Hyelin couldn't agree as they walked off to get berries begrudgingly. They had to play along even though they badly wanted to tell you what was happening. They still had their own sense of confusion and shock, but they believed what they saw was love. How could they hate you for being in love? They had the longest time to think it over and come to term with those thoughts compared to the others.

Heeyeon and Hyojin were introduced to the relationship in less than a friendly manner. They didn't get to see what those two young ones did. All they knew was what they knew and that's what was hurting them. Those two went off to get berries, not speaking. All they could do was sigh while Hwayoung stayed to 'watch' over Solji. The eldest was stuffing her feelings and Hwayoung was doing the same. She dug her nails deeper into her palms anytime her brain tried to think of you in an innocent light. She couldn't protect you right now. Hwayoung soon hissed, looking at her hand to see her nails managed to break through her skin and make herself bleed.

*~*

"I hope these berries make her feel better," You mumbled, looking down at the gat Namjoon handed to you. It was his, of course.

The male was walking next to you as the both of you slowly made your way back. He helped you in searching for berries, the both of you desperate to help make her feel better. It made each of you worried sick that something could be wrong with her. What if Solji had an illness? You weren't too worried for your own health. You hoped to make her feel better, but you also knew to look after Namjoon. If Solji has an illness and its contagious then she can't be near the King. It's nothing against her, but in order to protect him. You held the gat closer to your chest, absolutely hating your thoughts. Please let her be fine and healthy.

"Solji is a strong woman. I'm sure with a few of these berries, she'll be back to her best." Namjoon patted your back. You had to giggle causing him to raise a brow at you.

"You say that so calmly when you were freaking out to search for berries earlier." You smiled. He only rolled his eyes playfully at you.

"I was worried. Not freaking out."

"If you say so, my King." You teased.

Namjoon was quick to puff out his cheeks in frustration. He couldn't say anything as he watched you skip over to Solji and Hwayoung. You called him King just in time in front of the others. He couldn't say anything to his dismay. He clicked his tongue, walking over to see the other angels coming with only a couple berries in their hands. He understood they had nothing to put the berries in, but what they brought was pathetic. The King was ready to scold the angels until he overheard Solji laughing and saying you brought more than enough. She seemed pleased with the amount, taking a few into her hands to eat. You were relieved to see her laughing and eating. Seeing this cheerful attitude from her must be a good sign.

All of you began walking again. Solji was leading the way, eating berries without looking at her compass. You were expecting her to pull it out at some point but she never did. That didn't stop you from trusting Solji. She must know where she's bringing all of you. Humming to yourself, you noticed how quiet all the angels were. None of them were talking or even looking at each other. It was a little odd now that you think about it. How long have they been like this? You were finally starting to think about it when Solji paused in her tracks again. She let out a heavy breath, giving the King a tight smile. You quit your thoughts to focus on her just like Namjoon.

"I think finding freshwater might help me." Solji had her arms around her stomach.

"Do what you need." Namjoon had no problem. He was willing to cooperate with whatever she needed even if it put the trip on hold. Keeping one of his soldiers healthy was a bigger priority. Lady Eunchae can wait.

"I want all the angels searching for water. It should be nearby I think." Solji smiled at Namjoon. "Just stay there for me, my King. We're a little off track so I don't want you going anywhere. I'll just get my water and then I'll be fine."

"Alright." Namjoon nodded, sitting down on the ground. He leaned against a tree without much thought as Solji gave the rest of you a nod to split up and search.

You did so without question. If Solji needs water then you'll find her some. It's important to take care of your leader when she cares for you guys. The rest of the angels took different routes as they went in search for water. You were going your own way, furrowing your brows as you walked further into the wooded area. It wasn't the trees that were baffling you. All of you had begun to exit the mountainous terrain recently, entering another forest to go through so you weren't surprised. It was just the fact that Solji said there would be water nearby. You didn't hear a single river or sound of running water. Spring was in full force so you couldn't quite tell where the direction of water was. You were struggling more than you would have liked.

There had to be water somewhere around here. Letting out a heavy sigh, you hoped the other angels were having better luck than you. It feels like you've been walking for too long. Maybe you have. You frowned as you looked around your surroundings. No water. You've walked too far and you're not quite sure where you are. It's best to follow your footsteps back rather than getting lost. Solji needs water, not a nuisance. Nodding to yourself, you turn around to hear someone near you. There's another person near you? That's strange. You didn't see anyone when you looked around the first time. That's when they came into view.

"Oh! Heeyeon unnie!" You smiled at her as she slowly walked over to you. "Did you not find any water either?" You tilted your head at her, but she never answered. Your light and cheerful attitude didn't seem to break through the cold exterior she was showing you. It didn't feel right. Heeyeon normally never acted like this. Only to enemies. You were about to say something when another angel appeared. Hyojin came out with the same cold look on her face. Next thing you know, Hyelin and Jeonghwa come out the exact same. Something was wrong. You took a step back just as Hwayoung appeared, glaring at you like a harsh winter. "Hwayoung...why...what's going on?"

"Yeon (F/n)." Solji finally made her presence known. She walked through the center, directly in front of you as she held out her sword. It was out of its scabbard which made your eyes widen. You were being surrounded by them. Looking at the others, a chorus of unsheathed swords met your ears. They pointed their sharp weapons towards you as if you were the enemy. You're not the enemy. What's going on?

"Unnie...why are you all doing this?" You were trying not to tremble in front of them. You kept taking steps back until you felt a large root underneath your feet. You'll only bump into a tree if you keep going.

"There's no running away unless you want to face greater consequences," Solji stated.

"B-But what have I done? I haven't done anything!" You shouted.

"You are trying to escape Fate's plan for you! That is a crime on its own!" Solji yelled as you became stiff. This still made no sense. You almost wanted to cry from pure frustration, but you couldn't. This wasn't how you wanted to be treated. If they had a problem with you then they could have just talked to you about it. Whatever you did, you would have made it right.

"How could I commit a crime against Fate when it changes like the seasons!?" You screamed, pulling out your own sword. The rest of the angels took a step closer to you and it wasn't looking good. Six against one didn't give you good odds.

"Fate is promised and inescapable as death!" Solji struck your sword. You couldn't understand what was going on with the angels. None of them were telling you anything besides Solji claiming you went against Fate. You didn't have a clue and it was too hard to think of what exactly you did wrong while you tried to keep her at a distance. Both of your swords clanged against each other harshly. Gritting your teeth, you were doing your best to protect yourself. It wasn't a wooden staff like back in the training yard. You were fighting against a real blade and you could lose your life like this. You could lose it and Namjoon isn't even here.

Namjoon.

While you fought for your life, the King rested against a tree cluelessly. Namjoon thought everything was okay and that all of you would return soon enough. He only played with the fabric of his sleeve mindlessly. The male was relaxed until a thought came into his head. They've been gone for some time now. He pushed himself up, brows knitting together at how he suddenly felt something was wrong. It was hard to describe this sense of warning that hit him. It was making him question the seemingly normal atmosphere. Why did Solji leave him, the King, alone? Even for a short moment, she would have never done that. She would have left an angel with him.

The King got onto his feet right away as if Fate were pushing him forward. He had no idea where he was going, but he had to search for them. Finding one of the angels was a lot safer than him just alone like a sitting duck. He had to find at least one of you wandering around. None of you could have gone that far and yet he wasn't getting any progress. The trees were tall enough to make Namjoon feel like a small pebble. He didn't know where any of you were and he couldn't shake off this feeling that something was wrong. Namjoon frowned when he heard a loud clang in the distance. It sounded like swords...could he be wrong? He became frozen, unsure whether it was safe for him to follow the sound or not.

The sound he heard was a frightening one for you. Solji was stubbornly invading your space, leaving you with nothing before she completely knocked your sword out of your hands. It flew a good feet away from you. It wasn't possible to just reach for it. Swallowing hard as you looked at Solji, she raised her sword up higher towards you. She took another close step as you bumped against the tree like you had predicted. The edge of her blade wasn't close enough to be a true threat but seeing as you were left unarmed...you should probably take it as one.

Staring at Solji, you felt like your pupils were shaking from how anxious you felt. Heeyeon, Hyojin, and Hwayoung were the only ones who kept stoic expressions. They weren't thinking unlike Hyelin and Jeonghwa. You could see the hesitance in Hyelin clear as day. The most obvious was the maknae who couldn't stop her hand from shaking. She didn't want to be holding that sword right now. So why is she? What did you do that was so wrong that they had to interrogate you like this? Your eyes connected back with Solji's, her eyes narrowing down on you as her grip tightened on the handle.

"Yeon (F/n)," She spoke as if you were a nothing, but a criminal. "What are your intentions with the King?"


	37. Acceptance

Ch.36

"My intentions?" Your voice was weak as you repeated her words. Hearing that leave her lips made you feel lightheaded.

_What are your intentions with the King?_

You didn't have to ask what that meant. You knew full well what that implied all on its own. It meant that they knew. At some point they managed to catch on to your relationship with the King. That's why they separated you from the King like this. It explained why all of them had their swords drawn out towards you even if some of them didn't want to. It all made sense now and you couldn't feel mad towards them. You just couldn't. Hurt and disappointed maybe, but you knew it would be like this. They're the King's Guardian Angels and they put his safety first. If you bring any danger towards him then of course they have a right to turn on you like this. Even just questioning you like this...you could understand.

"Your intentions, (F/n)!" Solji shouted. "You've been caught by all of us in a hidden relationship with the King that is inappropriate for an angel! You are meant to protect him, not be his lover!"

"I can't be sorry..." You balled your hands into fists. Solji cocked a brow, the blade still aimed and ready. "I fell in love with the King. I don't have any control over that and I think Fate wanted us to be together—"

"Don't twist Fate!" Solji barked. "What are your intentions, (F/n)? Are you using the King solely to make yourself rise to a higher title? Is becoming Queen your end goal?"

"Queen?" You wanted to scoff. "All I wanted is to be happy with Namjoon—"

"Don't call him by his name!" Solji raised her blade as the sound of pounding footsteps was faint in the distance. You stood your ground despite feeling terrified. You had nothing to protect yourself with and your truth only seemed to cause you more trouble. That didn't surprise you. Gritting your teeth, you looked Solji in the eyes even as she slowly inched closer to you. Her blade was sharp and it made you wonder if this would be the last sight you got to see. It left you bitter and yet...you knew where they were all coming from. Solji moved her sword as the pounding feet became louder, arriving at the scene.

" _Angels!_ Put away your swords and this is a royal command from the King!" Namjoon's voice roared loudly. He was furious at what he stumbled across and left in disbelief. He shouted just in time, not wanting to be a second too late. The angels became frozen at his command. They couldn't deny that it was his voice, but Solji kept her sword out. She didn't move so none of the angels put away their swords either. Namjoon growled at this as he came closer, marching his way between the angels and making his way over to Solji. "Are you disobeying a royal command?"

"My King—" Solji started only for Namjoon to rip the sword out from her hand. Her eyes grew now that the blade was suddenly pointed at her own throat.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on (F/n). That's an order for all of you." Namjoon took steps back, slowly putting his arm around you. You were still shaken up from being up against six. It was hard to trust that you were truly safe even if you were in the King's arms. He held you close and you felt happy he found you in time. You were quick to wrap your arms around him, holding him tightly. "Yeon (F/n) is my woman and you will respect her!"

All the angels were tense as they stared back at the two of you. They couldn't say anything even if they wanted to. How could they go against the King? Namjoon snarled from pure rage, keeping the sword pointed at all the women. He moved slowly as he allowed you to pick up your own sword. You grabbed it quickly, making sure you didn't leave an open space for an angel to suddenly attack you. They were all frozen though as the both of you pointed weapons back at them. If this is the way things have to be...you felt sick to your stomach. You hated this so much. You wanted to throw up. Biting your lip, you made sure you didn't cry in front of any of the angels. You needed to be ready to fight back if they decided to take this further.

None of them looked like they were going to move anytime soon though. They were waiting for orders from Solji, but that clearly wasn't going to happen with Namjoon right there. He made a royal command and he was already more than furious about what was going on. He couldn't believe what he had come across to find. It made his blood boil that the people he trusted would do such a thing. They left him alone on purpose so they could try to harm you. He's glad he made it before anything could happen. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't come in time. He didn't want to live in a world without out you.

Namjoon glared at the angels, waiting for them to stand down. They were keeping their strong stances until you noticed Jeonghwa put away her sword. She placed it back in its scabbard, the action almost making Namjoon paranoid. He was prepared to fight her until he saw she was following orders. It didn't take long for Hyelin to do the same with her sword. They put theirs away and all that was left was for the others to listen. Namjoon pursed his lips, wondering if the others would ever listen. Jeonghwa and Hyelin shared a glance before they walked in front of Namjoon and you. They held up their scabbards, acting as barriers for the two of you.

"Thank you..." You wanted to collapse onto your knees. You don't know why this situation took so much of your energy away. Were you actually afraid of losing your life? It was never a worry for you in the past.

"All of you don't deserve to be called Guardian Angels if you continue pointing your weapons towards the King!" Hyelin shouted.

"Lower them and obey his royal command!" Jeonghwa narrowed her eyes on her unnies.

It felt like this was never going to end. Namjoon took a few steps back, keeping you close to him. He was lot more relaxed than he was a few moments ago. Having Hyelin and Jeonghwa step forward like this left him grateful. At least these two had morals. That's what Namjoon mumbled though. You weren't exactly sure if morals was the right word for this. You weren't even sure with who to side with. The others were only caring for Namjoon but that's what Hyelin and Jeonghwa were doing too.

Solji sighed heavily as she saw the angels begin to crack behind her. Heeyeon slowly put her sword away, followed by Hwayoung, and then Hyojin. They held their hands up to the two angels and Solji followed their actions. Namjoon ordered for them to toss their scabbards forward. They all removed it from their belt, throwing it close to Hyelin and Jeonghwa. The two angels kicked them behind them. You were quick to collect them all and Namjoon put away Solji's in her empty scabbard. You put your own away, sighing in relief. Hyelin and Jeonghwa finally put their scabbards away as Namjoon walked up to Solji with a hurt look. The eldest swallowed hard, looking down on the ground like the others behind her.

"Yes, (F/n) and I are in love...I understand that you might worry about her intentions, but it's _(F/n)_." Namjoon put emphasis on your name. Shame fell on all the angels including the two who came to protect you both. "You should know her better than anyone else. (F/n) would never do anything to harm me in any world. She loves me with all her heart and I can say that confidently. She's given me everything...she gave me her entire life the moment she agreed to be with me. (F/n) knows it's dangerous to be mine, but she's selfless."

"...we apologize, your Majesty." Solji went down on her knees. Soon all the angels went down on their knees as Namjoon shook his head.

"You shouldn't be apologizing to me." He motioned his hand towards you. All their eyes traveled over to you in an instant.

A light shade of pink appeared on your cheeks to have them all bowing down to you like this. It was strange even though you appreciated their apologies. You didn't wish to hold any grudges or become their enemy. All you wanted was for things to stay as normal. That just wasn't possible anymore. They know you're the King's lover now and that changes everything. This probably means you won't be an angel anymore when you all return back to the palace. Namjoon wants to make you his Queen so the power dynamic will instantly change between you and your friends. That will be an interesting adjustment to make.

Each of them kept their heads down towards you. They stayed down there for so long that you didn't know what to say. What were you supposed to do? It wasn't until Jeonghwa started speaking that you felt better. She started off the apology admitting what you already knew. She didn't want to interrogate you like this, but she had to do this for the King. They believed this was the way to approach the situation and now they see how wrong they were. Hyelin also joined by stating how she would never want to hurt you. She believed the two of you had a pure love. That meant a lot to hear from them. They slowly lifted their heads as Namjoon crossed his arms.

"I suggest we all sit down and have a long talk. Things have changed." Namjoon put his hands on his hips. He eyed all the angels, making sure they listened to him. They sat in a line facing Namjoon and you. Somehow having their eyes on you like this was a bit more intimidating. Maybe because Namjoon was holding your hand tightly. He didn't want to let you go, wanting the angels to see. You sighed softly and let him do the talking. You just weren't feeling your best at the moment. Resting your head against his shoulders, you silently looked at the angels across from you as they started their discussion. "What do you all want to know? One question at a time." He started it off, waiting for them to speak. The angels all exchanged glances before Solji cleared her throat.

"When did this all start?" She raised a brow. It was what everyone first asked when they saw Namjoon and you together. It was a reasonable question that made Namjoon furrow his brows in thought.

"It's not that hard." You smiled.

"It's a long story." Namjoon sighed.

"Now you're just avoiding it." You playfully teased as he pressed his forehead against yours, giving you a 'glare'.

"Let me think." Namjoon kissed your nose before facing the angels again. He rubbed his chin while you felt your face get hotter. All the angels were staring at you, still shocked with the relationship. You couldn't get yourself to look any of them in the eyes. You were embarrassed especially with the look Jeonghwa was giving you. She had her lips puckered, raising her brows at you in a way you were not fond of. "Our friendship started before we left for the journey. I made her promise to be my friend and call me by my name...I guess that allowed other things to start." Namjoon looked back down at you.

"Our romantic relationship didn't start until a few days after we had been robbed, but we both knew we loved each other," You said as Jeonghwa started bouncing.

"Who confessed first!?" She grinned.

"Jeonghwa." Heeyeon pursed her lips.

"This is important!" Hyelin shoved her index finger against Heeyeon's lips. Those two leaned forward, listening intently as you became a dark shade of red.

"I did." Namjoon smirked.

"Yes, my King!" Hyelin whistled. Namjoon held his chin up pridefully while you were less than prideful about this. For some reason this conversation was a lot more embarrassing than you thought it would be. Covering your face with your hands, you sighed to yourself.

"She rejected me the first time though because she wanted to focus on _being an angel_ , but I broke her down after a few days." Namjoon wrapped his arm around you. Jeonghwa and Hyelin were squealing, thrilled that Namjoon was persistent to make you his. The rest weren't ecstatic at all. They were less than cheerful. Hyojin and Heeyeon felt awkward compared to Solji and Hwayoung who wished this wasn't happening.

"You should have accepted her rejection the first time, my King." Solji frowned. Her tone was soft, making it hard for Namjoon to get upset. That didn't stop Jeonghwa from sending a glare at the eldest's direction. She was willing to fight but Namjoon shook his head. He wanted to hear her worries out so he could make them go away. They had time.

Solji sighed to herself at first. She didn't want to be seen as a bad guy or receive the glares she was getting from those two angels. You didn't glare at Solji or give her any dirty looks. It was hard to imagine yourself ever treating Solji without any respect. That wasn't strange for you in your opinion. Jeonghwa and Hyelin might have been wondering why you weren't upset with everything, but it's only because you understood. You're an angel yourself so you understand where they came from perfectly. Solji means a lot to you and you know her well enough to see that she would want the both of you to be happy. She just has to think of the reality of the situation first. Everyone would rather stay in a dream.

"We can't ignore the fact that this entire journey was for you to marry Lady Eunchae. You're meant to produce an heir." Solji looked at you sadly. "A pure blood."

"I know...things have turned out quite differently from what we all originally wanted." Namjoon put his hand on the back of his neck. "I truly intended to marry Lady Eunchae and follow through with my Eomeoni's dying wish...I fell in love though. I don't want to be with the Lady. I want (F/n)." He squeezed your hand tighter.

"What will we do about Lady Eunchae?" Hyojin asked.

"I will inform her that the marriage is off. I'll make up an excuse and be vague." Namjoon shrugged. "I'll do everything I can to let her know there is no marriage between us without letting her know the true reason. (F/n)'s safety will become top priority then."

"Does this mean we protect the both of you from now on?" Heeyeon questioned. They were slowly becoming more comfortable and making an effort to accept it for the both of you. It was appreciated.

"I can handle myself." You shook your head only for Namjoon to chuckle.

"You'll be protected," Namjoon disagreed. A small frown formed on your lips to hear that from him.

"I will protect myself and you. I'm trained to do so," You said, seeing a mix of emotions go through his eyes.

"You're trained to die for me. I don't want that," Namjoon spoke in a low voice. You stayed silent, thinking about his words. He wasn't wrong. Even if a random enemy appeared, you would put his life before yours. It was your first instinct. You just didn't want to suddenly have them taking away your weapons and assuring you that they had everything covered. You'll fight too. That's what you're good at.

"Why don't we do this? (F/n) can look over herself for now, but once we arrive at Lady Eunchae's home is when all of us will take care of you both," Solji suggested. "We'll have one angel keep an eye on (F/n) at the moment who won't intervene unless she is actually in danger."

"Great!" Namjoon perked up. "Who will protect (F/n)?" Jeonghwa was about to raise her hand until you looked over at Hwayoung. She hadn't spoken a word the entire time and it was making you nervous.

"Hwayoung?" You bit your lip. The girl seemed to break out of her thoughts from the moment you said her name. She lifted her head up, her eyes struggling to keep strong eye contact with you.

"Aren't I the King's shadow?" Hwayoung asked.

"If (F/n) prefers you then I want you to look after her. The two of you are friends after all." Namjoon smiled as Hwayoung's lips thinned. She didn't say anything after that, but you didn't feel great about that expression. Were things not okay between the two of you? "I'll have Hyelin and Jeonghwa keep a closer eye on me seeing as they protected me earlier."

"Ooh~! A promotion!" Hyelin giggled. Jeonghwa clapped her hands, not minding the new setup.

Those two were able to make you feel comfortable with your relationship with the King. That was something you were grateful for. Solji seemed like she was acting careful and trying to force herself to accept it faster than was necessary. You're okay if she takes her time with it. It looked like Heeyeon and Hyojin were taking their time to let it fully set in. The King wanting to stay with you meant a lot of changes. It was reasonable so you couldn't ask them to just understand you faster. This was something that was going to take time and you were willing to wait with them. It's not like you had fully processed what marrying Namjoon means either. The idea of you becoming Queen was too complicated for you to even fathom. That meant you would be patiently waiting together with them.

It was just hard to see what approach Hwayoung was taking. You liked to think she was taking the same route as Hyojin and Heeyeon. You don't know what you would do if she couldn't accept your relationship with Namjoon. Just the idea alone is causing your heart to ache. She's a piece of you so you wanted to look on the bright side. Give her some time and then you two will be gushing about your lovers together back at the palace. That sounded like a good idea to you. It was one you were fond of. You're sure Namjoon wants to do the same with Seungwon when he gets back.

The angels probably still had a bunch of questions left unanswered, but they settled with what they had. Namjoon wanted to get back on track and moving in the direction of Lady Eunchae. Once Lady Eunchae is out of the picture then all the angels will be left in ease. They'll have an easier time accepting the two of you. The relationship just took them by surprise is all. Time will pass though and soon everything will be okay. They might not be as excited like Jeonghwa and Hyelin, but they'll accept it in their own ways. You don't know when that will happen, but you're looking forward to that day. You're just glad that you're safe and allowed to express your love openly to Namjoon. He seemed to be happy about that too.

The two of you were holding hands, walking in the center of all of them. Namjoon brought your hand up to his lips to kiss. He didn't waste a second to be affectionate to you in front of the others. Jeonghwa and Hyelin were giggling like little girls. They're the only reason that something so natural for you was feeling embarrassing. Solji had a small smile on her lips, probably realizing that if she hadn't fully accepted yet that she would pretty soon. She had a weak spot for the King so you were certain it would happen faster than she thought. Only those three angels stayed awkward in the back. They didn't look when Namjoon showered you in affection and were silent.

"They'll accept it soon enough." Namjoon kissed the side of your head.

"I really hope so." You leaned your head against him as the two of you walked. "Soon just isn't soon enough."

"If any of them have a problem with it that they can't let go—" Namjoon was already speaking in a tone you didn't want to hear. There was a hint of aggression behind that tight smile of his and it didn't help that his grip on your hand was getting uncomfortably tight.

"Namjoon, no. Breathe." You poked his cheek. The male sighed, doing his best to stay calm for you. "Allow them to accept it on their own. They will eventually...I know it. So don't try to use your title of King against them."

"Fine...only because you asked me." Namjoon let go of your hand to wrap his arm around your shoulders.

The two of you walked until Solji announced it was time to rest for the night. Everyone was ready to perform their tasks, all of them leaving except for Hyelin. She let Heeyeon and Hyojin do the hunting on their own. She promised you that she would handle the firewood which she didn't need to do. You tried stopping her, but she left in an instant. Then Jeonghwa immediately sat Namjoon and you down, insisting that the two of you rest. Namjoon didn't think much of it and only smiled at the treatment. You felt different about it because this wasn't how they normally treated you. It's not like they were hurting you, but it just felt wrong. You stayed silent though since it wasn't anything to complain about.

Eventually Heeyeon and Hyojin returned from hunting. Hwayoung came back with the water pouches filled too. Her lips were sealed as she handed everyone their pouches back. She normally doesn't talk to the others much, but you thought you were different. She slowly gave yours back and you took it with a smile. She didn't even smile back, her eyes shifting to the ground quickly. Why did it feel like you were getting slapped in the face? You didn't like this one bit. The smile on your face dropped into a frown in less than a second. Hwayoung took a step to the side to give Namjoon his own pouch of water.

"I bet you'll be happier protecting your friend than me, right?" Namjoon chuckled. Hwayoung didn't say anything as she moved on to pass off the rest of the pouches. Namjoon only scoffed, not taking her silent response seriously. "That girl." He shrugged before drinking the water already.

Your eyes were glued to Hwayoung. You couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside your best friend's head. Why wasn't she talking to you? It hurt. More than Heeyeon and Hyojin avoiding you. Hwayoung sat quietly by herself after returning everyone's water pouches. She brought her knees up to her chest, staring off at nothing. Maybe you just needed to give her some space to let her accept it. You'll try talking to her tomorrow and hopefully by then things will be better. You won't be able to handle losing your friendship with Hwayoung. It made your stomach twist uncomfortably. The frown on your face must have been evident since Hyelin dropped all the firewood to see it.

"Who made (F/n) sad?" Hyelin huffed.

"Are you sad?" Jeonghwa faced you quickly, but you only scooted closer to Namjoon. He raised a brow at you as he looked at the others. He pursed his lips, wrapping his arm around you.

"It's okay. A lot happened today so..." Namjoon stroked your hair. The two worried angels nodded their heads, feeling guilty along with the leader.

"I'm sorry for causing so much stress." Solji sighed heavily, helping start the fire for the night. "I should have followed my heart rather than the training..."

"It's alright," You mumbled.

"Do we...do we call you Crown Princess?" Heeyeon stared at you curiously. You were quick to shake your head at that.

"Just call me (F/n) as always. That will never change for you guys," You said. "Nothing has really changed."

"Maybe not here, but back at the palace things will be different." Hyojin sat down on the ground. "You'll be Queen so we should treat you with a higher level of respect."

"What if I don't want that?" You questioned weakly. If this is what had Hwayoung bothered, that the two of you wouldn't be best friends anymore because the change of title, she couldn't be more wrong. "I'm still an angel right now. I'm Namjoon's shadow until we get married and I don't quite know when that will be."

"I'm hoping soon...but that's just me," Namjoon whispered. You were able to smile from that, playfully nudging him.

"We'll see how everything goes. There's still a lot to work out." Solji dusted off her hands, the fire feeding on the wood and standing tall. She looked over at you to see you snuggling into Namjoon as he held you close. He was staring down at you fondly. Something he probably wouldn't have with Lady Eunchae.


	38. Sudden News

Ch.37

Things with the angels haven't been completely successful. Hyelin, Jeonghwa, and Solji were the only ones treating you normally. Two of them had accepted the relationship a lot quicker while Solji followed a day after. She apologized so many times to you and Namjoon. She felt really awful for what she did and for how she treated you in that brief moment. It was all forgiven though. You wanted to move on from that experience already. All you wanted was to have your family back. These girls were all you had so naturally you wanted to have things return to normal. Except three were still struggling to accept the King and you.

Only about four days passed since they tried interrogating you. In those days you had hoped for immense progress. Maybe it was your fault for having your hopes so high. Things just weren't the same anymore and you wanted it back so badly. All you wanted was your friends back and to love Namjoon openly. Was it not possible to have both? You wondered if this wish made you selfish. Were you only thinking about your own wants? You were doing your best to understand the angels who hadn't fully accepted the relationship. Heeyeon and Hyojin were awkward around you, not knowing how to treat you. You're not Queen yet so you were alright with teasing. Anything, but this.

Then Hwayoung hadn't spoken at all. Her mouth had stayed closed shut, making it hard for you to truly know what she was thinking. Did she feel awkward about it? Could she not stand the idea? You couldn't figure out the degree of her attitude towards the two of you as a couple. She wouldn't even look at you or Namjoon. She hadn't glared or given you guys a look of disgust. You suppose that was a good thing, but you couldn't say for sure. You just missed having your best friend so much. Your daydream wasn't to be a lady anymore. What you wanted these days was to be giggling with Hwayoung, talking about anything and everything like the two of you used to.

She's supposed to be acting as if she were your shadow, but it didn't feel like it. You always hated it whenever Hwayoung or any of the other girls were mad at you. It would leave you unable to eat or think straight until you apologized to them. Sometimes they would be stubborn, but you were desperate for their forgiveness. Even if it was over something stupid now that you look back. It's not like you ever meant to intentionally hurt them though. They always knew that and eventually forgave you. Not once have you ever hurt the angels on purpose with your words. You weren't that type of person. You were the one who wanted everyone happy again, but that felt impossible at the moment.

It left you stuck in your head as you walked with the angels. According to Solji, all of you were closer to Lady Eunchae and would arrive in less than five days. So many things were overwhelming you and taking over your mind. It felt like so much that you've been feeling sick. You haven't mentioned it to the others since you didn't want them worrying for nothing. It's not like you couldn't handle it. Only sometimes did you feel lightheaded and nauseous. It couldn't be serious if you hadn't actually thrown up, so you thought everything was fine. Even if your reaction time was slower. You're only lethargic because of this sickness, whatever it is.

"I think we're making excellent time," Solji said as she looked up at the sky. "We just might reach Lady Eunchae in three days if we keep a good pace."

"Three days...how exciting." Namjoon sighed heavily. His sarcasm was evident towards the angels, getting Jeonghwa to snicker.

"I'm still anxious to see how that goes, but we have your back, your Majesty." Solji put her hand on her chest. She nodded with determination which only made Namjoon smile.

"I'm King so I believe Lady Eunchae can't do much against me." Namjoon shrugged in thought. "She has her own little troop of guards to protect her seeing as she's royal blood and daughter of my samchon."

"We can handle a little troop." Hyelin chirped confidently. Jeonghwa cheered as Solji's smile grew by a little. "Isn't that right, Miss (F/n)?" Hyelin hummed, leaning in your direction. You had been staring at the ground the entire time you've been walking. It hadn't even occurred to you that your name was being called. "(F/n)? (F/n)!"

"Yes? Huh? What's going on?" You slowly looked at Hyelin, furrowing your brows nervously as you returned to the present.

"You're always in your head." Hyelin pouted as she poked your head. "What's going on in there?"

"Ah...a lot." You gave her an apologetic smile.

Hyelin pouted her lips suspiciously, narrowing her eyes on you. She did that for a few seconds before leaving you be. You appreciated that since you weren't feeling that talkative. Hyelin could have showered you in questions though thankfully left you be. Of course, your mind was stuck on Hwayoung. You just kept thinking of why she was behaving like this and if there were any possible way you could get her to talk. You feared suddenly talking of the past or bringing up Seungwon would get her upset. If you wanted her back then you needed to be careful. Sighing to yourself, you felt Namjoon wrap his arm around your shoulders. Thank you.

Namjoon pressed a kiss against the temple of your forehead. It actually made you feel better. A giggle slipped past your lips, a genuine smile appearing on your face. That automatically had Namjoon relieved to see you weren't feeling too gloomy. It was still possible to make you look on the bright side. He gave you his own smile, dimples deep in his cheeks. Sometimes he could be the perfect distraction to ease your nerves. Namjoon rubbed your arm for comfort as all of you walked further into the forest. He kept a close eye on you, noticing that you would glance over at Hwayoung every once in a while.

"She'll come around." Namjoon squeezed your shoulder.

"I really hope so..." You rested your head against Namjoon. He placed another kiss on the top of your head.

"It's Hwayoung. She'll accept it eventually because it's you," Namjoon said as he tapped your nose gently with his finger. The action alone made you feel warm inside. Another smile appeared on your face, making his own grow wider. Now he was just making you feel shy with how easy it was for him to make you smile.

The King and you were in your own bubble. He was busy treating you affectionately as Jeonghwa became aware of something. She didn't look around, not wanting the others to panic and create a scene. With Jeonghwa's job as spy, she had the highest stealth of all the angels. She could pick up on the presence of others easier and she felt it. There were eyes on the eight of them. She could sense that they were being watched, but she couldn't tell where exactly these people were. Did they know who Namjoon was or were they randomly choosing victims? Well, they chose the wrong ones. Jeonghwa put her hand on her belt, her hand inching towards her sword as she looked back at Solji as casually as she could.

"Unnie! I wanted to ask you something," Jeonghwa spoke in a soft tone. It was different from her regular speaking voice which tipped Solji that something was off. She walked closer to the maknae, keeping a stoic expression. "We're being watched. I don't know where they are. What should we do?"

"We can't let them attack by surprise." Solji wanted to sigh. "We have to let the others know soon even if that means inviting them to show themselves to us already."

"Yes, Angel Solji." Jeonghwa nodded her head as she took steps towards Hyelin. Solji went to tell Heeyeon which started to catch the attention of you and Namjoon. Unknown to the both of you, it made the ones watching realize that their presence was caught. Jeonghwa didn't waste time to pull out her sword with the ones aware pulling their swords out as well. "Show yourselves!"

"What's going on?" Namjoon frowned.

"Stand back, Namjoon." You pulled out your sword, quick to defend him even if you weren't feeling your best.

The King wanted to ask more questions, but those answers came quick. Men dressed in black ran into view with their own weapons drawn out. Hyojin and Hwayoung were quick to take out their own swords, counting how many men were around you guys. It was a total of six surrounding you guys from all sides. There are seven angels in total so you weren't too worried. The only problem was if they decided you wouldn't be fighting either or if your body refuses to work with you. You have to fight back though. Protecting Namjoon is the top priority.

"Women with swords?" One of them scoffed.

None of you said anything. It looked like they weren't aware of who they stumbled across. All the angels narrowed their eyes on the intruders, prepared to fight back. Namjoon sighed heavily as he kept to himself. He figured he just needed to stay still and watch you ladies take care of the issues. It was going to be a bit bloody seeing as they had their weapons out. You didn't plan on getting injured and neither did the rest of the angels. All these men have practically asked for a death wish and Namjoon snapped his fingers, granting it to them generously.

The first one to move was Heeyeon as she slashed a man's chest by surprise. She kicked his chest back, letting him stumble back as they broke out into a brawl. You remained near the King, keeping a close eye on him as the rest each took on a guy. Hyojin worked quick as always. The King wanted to cheer the moment he saw her strike the man's neck. Blood sprayed out as he collapsed, struggling to remain conscious with the amount of blood he was losing at a fast rate. Hyojin tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, slightly annoyed that she had specks of his blood on her. Namjoon slowly walked with you to the side since you needed him away from all the flying swords. You brought him over to Hyojin before looking over at the other angels to see if they needed assistance.

Solji and Hwayoung were handling their enemy just fine. It was mainly swords clashing against each other, but they were cornering their opponent. Solji had them locked between a tree while Hwayoung had knocked them down on their back. Heeyeon was successful in finishing her enemy, stabbing him against a tree. He was dead the moment she rammed her blade straight through his chest. Heeyeon smirked until she realized her sword was stuck in the tree and she also had this guy bleeding all over it. The girl huffed, focusing on getting her sword out now. If it wasn't clear to these bandits by now, none of the were going to survive. All of you were more than women with swords. They weren't for decoration.

Jeonghwa was doing well with fighting her guy. It looked like he was panicking with how much he was trying to keep her at a distance. They were straying a little further than you would have liked. Luckily, Solji went to go help her finish the job. You didn't have to look for the guy Solji was originally was fighting. The body count was rising, blood staining the ground and getting onto the angels. You were smiling up until your eyes traveled over to Hyelin. She was doing well originally, but you didn't like the stance she was fighting in. It was unstable and all her swings had no support. She's going to fall trying to block a strong hit if she doesn't change that soon. Running over, you immediately slashed the man's back so Hyelin could get a bit of a break.

She panted heavily as she leaned against a tree. You let her catch her breath as the man hissed, furious when he turned to face you. Taking a few steps back, you were handling him a lot better than Hyelin was. You were blocking all of his swings and managed to leave a cut on his cheek. The fact that you were playing around was angering him, but you were ready to just kill him off already. You kicked him to create some distance, raising your sword above your head went you felt a wave of lightheadedness. Suddenly you were dizzy to your dismay. What was wrong with you? Collapsing onto the ground, you had dropped your heavy sword.

"(F/n)!!" Namjoon yelled. He was panicking to see your opponent now had the upper hand. D*mn it. You looked up at them just as an arrow plunged into the side of their head. Frowning, you didn't really like the sight but at least he was dead. He fell over as you looked to see who had shot the arrow. You were silent to see Hwayoung lowering her bow, glaring at the dead man.

"They're taken care of." Solji returned, running back with Jeonghwa right behind her.

"What happened?" Jeonghwa rushed to you on the ground. You were already in a sitting position, pulling your attention away from Hwayoung to the maknae.

"(F/n) was fighting a guy but suddenly fell." Hyelin rubbed her arm, walking over to you with a worried gaze.

"What's wrong?" Heeyeon put her sword back in her scabbard. Just as she said that, Namjoon ran over to you with the most frightened look you've ever seen on his face. He was breathing heavily as he took your hands in his.

"What are you doing fighting!?" Namjoon gritted his teeth.

"I could have handled it—" You tried to talk.

"Then what was that!?" Namjoon was breathless, his hands shaky as they held yours tightly. He was quick to pull you into a hug. "That scared me so much..."

"Thanks to Hwayoung's quick thinking everything turned out well." Hyojin attempted to lift the mood. Hwayoung slowly walked over, all the girls circling you and the King.

"Thank you, Hwayoung..." Namjoon faced the girl. Hwayoung only bowed her head as she took in a breath. Namjoon was still struggling to relax while you felt the need to lay down. You couldn't understand why you felt dizzy. Solji crouched down, placing her hand on your forehead. She began to check you like she was trained, pursing her lips the longer she examined you. Namjoon was staring at her hopefully just like the other angels.

"...I can't tell what's wrong." Solji frowned. The others were growing tense while Namjoon decided to unbuckle your armor.

"Get her armor off. Let her breathe instead of having this nonsense on her." His words harsh, but the intention from a caring place. Hyelin helped and took a hold of your armor as Namjoon picked you up in his arms.

"How long have you been feeling this way?" Solji questioned.

"...for a while," You mumbled.

"And you decided to fight like that!?" Namjoon gritted his teeth. "Why did you think that was a good idea?"

"Because Hyelin needed help!" You retorted to see him become quiet. "There's no point in getting mad at me when it already happened. It's in the past."

"But you could do it again and I don't want to risk that." Namjoon's eyes wouldn't leave yours. Eventually his intense gaze left you quiet, not wanting to fight about this any longer.

You didn't say a word as Namjoon spoke with the angels. He wanted to find you medical help, not feeling comfortable with the idea of leaving you in this state. There had to be some medicine you could take. Some sort of answer to this mystery that was making Namjoon unable to calm down. Solji was doing her best to reassure the King that they would find you help. They needed him to calm down and you needed that from him as well. You didn't like him getting so worked up over you, but you understood. You'd probably be a complete disaster if he even got the slightest cut on him. Solji promised that you guys would walk far today and hopefully stumble upon civilization. Someone with the resources and skills to help.

That was able to get Namjoon breathing calmly. He told you everything would be fine and that they would find someone soon. He said that more for himself to breathe, but you appreciated hearing it from him. You gave him a smile and pecked his lips to help him relax. Namjoon held you close to his chest, refusing to let you go the entire time they all walked. You probably stayed in his arms for hours and you felt bad. He isn't trained to carry someone for miles, but Namjoon was stubborn. He adjusted you in his arms when needed, but he never complained. You gave him little kisses whenever you saw him getting nervous.

More worries came in for Namjoon when the sun was past your heads. There were maybe two hours before the sun sets completely. He chewed his bottom lip, not wanting to stop despite there looking like there was no progress on finding anyone. Solji would have found an area to rest but not with Namjoon's order to keep walking. He wouldn't quit and none of the angels had the heart to convince him to rest for tonight. They continued walking tiredly, each of them praying for Fate to save them. They were all as desperate as the King when their prayers had been answered.

Solji raised her hand, pausing to make sure what she was seeing was safe. Everyone stopped behind her as they noticed a wooden cabin in the middle of the forest. Was it vacant? Solji gave Jeonghwa a nod, allowing the girl to run over to check out the cabin. All of you waited patiently, Namjoon giving your nose a peck just as Jeonghwa appeared on top of the cabin roof. She hadn't made a single sound while examining the cabin. The maknae soon looked over at all of you, giving you a nod that it was okay to come over. She jumped onto a nearby tree, coming down and running up to Solji who waited for answers.

"Only one person is inside. It appears to be a home with many strange objects inside though none seem dangerous. No weapons. He looked like an average young man and from what I saw in his posture and walking, no training in how to fight." Jeonghwa smiled.

"Thank you, Jeonghwa." Solji walked forward. "It won't hurt to ask this stranger for help." Namjoon sighed in relief, walking near the leader. You rested your head against Namjoon's chest, wondering if someone was living here then maybe civilization wasn't too far away. The eldest stepped up towards the door while the rest of you were behind her. She knocked her knuckles against the wood. "Hello? We need help with something."

"I have no appointment," A male voice replied. Solji furrowed her brows, knocking harder.

"Please. We need to find medical help. I'm already a physician, but I can't figure out what is wrong with my friend—" Solji explained when the deep voice got louder.

"Symptoms?"

"Symptoms?" Solji blinked, looking over to you.

"Just lightheaded and nauseous for a period of time," You responded loudly as you could. Tugging Namjoon's coat, you wanted to be placed down on the ground, but he wouldn't let you. That's when the door slid open to reveal a man in dark clothing. His messy long hair was tied back in a ponytail, revealing his striking features. He almost came across as intimidating. You hoped none of you were bothering him since he looked annoyed to be disturbed. You'd imagine someone living away from people wouldn't want to interact with others. His eyes looked over all the ladies before they landed on you.

"Come sit here." He patted his porch as he sat down. Namjoon walked over, carefully letting you sit down next to the man. "You're lucky I practice medicine."

"Really? Thank you so much for helping!" You smiled. "I'm (F/n). I don't know much about medicine, but I could beat up anyone you have grudge against. That's how I can repay you!"

"What?" His eyes widened as the other girls laughed. He blinked, clearing his throat. "I'm Taehyung and...I'll keep that in mind. You all have weapons except for him...any special reason?" Taehyung grabbed your wrist to check your pulse.

"I like female guards." Namjoon shrugged. "I'm just a noble passing by. Not suspicious at all." The other angels around him held in their sighs and laughter. Solji wanted to shake her head, tempted to scold the King for speaking all on his own. She could have come up with a better excuse than that. His sounded...creepy.

"Yes, not suspicious." Taehyung hummed as he put his hand on your back. "Take in a deep breath." You did as he said, happy that Namjoon's wish came true. This was quite lucky finding Taehyung here. Fate led all of you to someone who practiced medicine so that had to mean all of you were on the right track. Namjoon no longer had anything to worry about. You breathed for a while before Taehyung stood up. He told you to wait for a second as he went back inside his house. He came back out with an orange in his hand, giving it to you. "Do you mind if I take a look at your body? Remove your coat—"

"Why?" Namjoon frowned. He interrupted so quickly that you didn't have time to even consider Taehyung's question. Namjoon's jaw tightened, but that seemed to make Taehyung smirk. Jealousy was dripping off the King, but Taehyung wasn't threatened by Namjoon's need to assert his dominance. The male next to you looked back at you as he pieced things together in his head.

"What is your relationship with that man?" Taehyung pointed towards Namjoon as if he were a criminal. Namjoon pursed his lips, wanting to answer the question himself.

"Uh...I'm his guard," You said shyly. You couldn't even look Taehyung in the eyes and that only told him more than you wanted him to know.

"His guard and?" Taehyung raised a brow as you mumbled 'lover'. That was embarrassing to admit, but maybe it was important. It already seemed like Taehyung knew just from the look in his eyes. Even if he knew, he was still asking these questions which had you turning pink. He nodded to himself, crossing his arms. "And when was the last time you bled?"

"Bled? I think...that...oh." You became speechless. You hadn't kept track with everything that had been going on. Namjoon and the angels never brought it up. It was not a subject that was easy to bring up. Everyone always kept quiet about it so you were taken aback by Taehyung's question. Still, it made you think. You haven't had it for a while. The other angels had stopped breathing, their eyes slowly turning to Namjoon who was confused. "More than two months?"

Your answer only seemed to make all the angel's wince. Solji's gaze on the King softened while you felt your stomach twist. Why did you feel sick in a different sense? With everything Taehyung was saying, you were realizing the answer yourself. You just didn't want to admit it. The answer was too frightening with everything that it meant and carried. It was a little hard to breathe with how tight your throat was. The smile on your face was tight as you tried to convince yourself not to cry. There wasn't time to be emotional. Taehyung nodding to himself, concluding what all your symptoms meant.

"Well congratulations, you're in your early pregnancy." Taehyung pulled something out of his sleeve. It was a tiny dark bottle with liquid inside. One plant sat inside, giving it a pungent smell despite the bottle being capped. "This should help you with your early sickness. That should go away with time."

You took the bottle in shock, quiet as you stared at it. He congratulated you with early pregnancy? It didn't feel real for some reason. You were left speechless, blinking repeatedly. Hearing this was making you feel lightheaded all over again. Taehyung seemed to have caught that, helping you lean back against the wall of his house. Holding the fruit and medicine without any strength in your grip, you looked at Namjoon silently. The King was stunned, feeling all the angels staring at him. Namjoon came over to sit next to you, slowly taking your hand in his.

You felt scared. It was a foreign feeling that hit you on the back of your head. Swallowing hard, you tightened your grip on Namjoon's hand. You're pregnant? That can't be true and yet...you didn't want to risk not listening to Taehyung. If you're truly holding the King's child inside you then that's not something to take lightly. Solji was the first to kneel down of the angels. The rest soon followed, all of them just as shocked to receive this news. Taehyung watched with interest as the scene played out before him.

"The two of you have to get married," Solji stated. "We can't have the Crown Prince be a bast*rd."

"Or Crown Princess." Hyojin sighed heavily.

All the angels were reacting similarly to the situation. Whether they supported your relationship with the King or not. They were all shocked, but there was nothing they could do about it. The King was in love with you and now you carried his child. Another responsibility fell on the angel's shoulders with this added obstacle. Meeting Lady Eunchae only grew more complicated, but it was a good thing that you weren't showing. The most you had gained was a little weight, but you didn't think much of it. You didn't know what to think of anything. Was this something to cry about and if so, with what emotion? Everything was surreal as you sat on that porch.

"That's true..." Namjoon looked at you, stroking your hair.

"Crown Prince?" Taehyung raised a brow. He chuckled, getting up onto his feet. "Congratulations, your Majesty." He smirked, leaving Namjoon frustrated and you still lost in a fog. Pregnant, huh?


	39. One

Ch.38

Pregnant? It didn't feel real to you. Nothing was feeling real even though the news was barely dropped to you. Taehyung said it only a few minutes ago and it still hadn't settled in. Namjoon was doing better at processing the information, already becoming excited at the idea of becoming a father. He couldn't stop smiling as he thought about the future. He was easily picturing the days where you're Queen and the child is born, running around in excitement. Namjoon's vision was a lot happier compared to yours. Looking down at your stomach, you knew you felt a mixture of things about the situation.

The main feeling pumping through you was fear. You wanted that emotion out of your system when it came to your unborn child. It was filling you with worrying thoughts. Normally, all you ever had to worry about was the King and making sure he was safe. Now you had another on your plate. It wasn't a bad thing though. Never. You'll do everything to protect the child you're carrying, but that meant you would have to protect yourself. No more fighting unless you want to put your child in danger. That isn't going to happen anymore. Wrapping your arms around your stomach, you began to let out the tears that were too hard to hold back at this point.

You were trembling as you cried. Namjoon became silent to see you sobbing and curling into yourself. He was quick to pull you into his arm, rubbing your back as he allowed you to cry. A part of you didn't even know what exactly you were crying about. Having this child is a blessing and you've always wanted to be a mother anyway. Then the fact that the father is the man you love made you happy. It truly made you feel joy yet you were crying nonstop into his chest. It was that feeling of fear that wouldn't leave you alone. What are you afraid of? That you won't be a good mother? Is that what's bothering you so much or what?

It's not like you're good at anything. The only thing that came somewhat naturally to you was fighting. Anything a solider knew was your specialty. Protecting the King is your Fate and that's your purpose, but you weren't so sure anymore. There's not a chance any of the angels will let you fight anymore. Not with you being pregnant with the King's child. How are you supposed to protect your baby if you can't even fight back? You're terrified of what Lady Eunchae might do if she miraculously finds out you're the reason that the King doesn't want to marry you. Dread continued to drag you down at the idea of what she would do if she found out you were pregnant. Horrible people exist and you didn't want to risk her being one of them.

"(F/n), do you want to drink some water?" Namjoon whispered. You were gripping onto his coat tightly, listening to him speak. He waited for you to calm down first. He was patient as you let yourself breathe, allowing the tears to slow down. They never fully stopped as you rested against Namjoon. You felt so tired, wanting to sleep. The sun was getting close to setting as well which led Solji to choose this place as a temporary rest stop. Taehyung didn't know how to feel about suddenly having eight people sleeping outside of his place, but he didn't have much of a choice. The only male here was potentially his King and things wouldn't end well for him if he kept up his shut-in habits. Sniffling, you weakly nodded at Namjoon.

"I'd like some water." Your voice incredibly soft, but he heard you clearly. He shifted his body slightly to grab his water pouch for you. Pushing yourself up into a sitting position, you took his water and drank it. All you intended was to have a sip. It felt like you wouldn't be able to hold anything, but the moment the cool water entered your mouth you found yourself drinking all the water Namjoon had in his pouch. He didn't mind one bit, smiling at you as you closed the water pouch.

"Do you feel better? Even just a little?" Namjoon continued to speak quietly. He caressed the side of your cheek as you nodded.

"I do...I guess I'm just tired," You said, setting down the water pouch.

"You should get some sleep. The other angels are already setting up in front of Taehyung's home." Namjoon kissed your cheek, rubbing your arm. He watched you silently as he waited for you to say something else. Your eyes were looking over at the angels. They had a fire going, but barely ate the food that was hunted. All of them were still processing the news just like you. As you took in a breath, Taehyung stepped out of his home to look at the two of you.

"I made some room for the both of you to sleep inside." He rubbed the back of his neck, motioning inside his home. He clearly felt awkward about this. He didn't seem used to interacting with people for this long. Taehyung's efforts were appreciated though. Namjoon thanked the man, helping you stand up. You shuffled inside and went over to the quilt in the corner with Namjoon. Taehyung's own bed was across the room and you could understand what Jeonghwa meant by Taehyung having strange objects in his house. There were multiple jars sitting on his shelves, plants and animals completely still in foggy water. That was a bit unsettling but nothing too frightening. You did witness an arrow go through a man's head a few hours ago. Plus the pregnancy news. A few odd jars were the least of your worries.

Namjoon helped you get comfortable on the quilt. It was nice not to have your armor on for this long. It felt strange not having the weights yet it was welcomed. Facing the wall, you figured sleeping would help you feel better. You'll face your problems in the morning, but for now you just needed to sleep. Namjoon wrapped his arms around you as he kissed the back of your head. His touch felt comforting, silently telling you that he would be here for you. That helped you grow sleepy and allow yourself to fall asleep. The rest of the angels were outside as well so you were safe. Everything would turn out okay somehow.

You don't remember when you fell asleep. One moment you were staring at the wall when the room was dim and now there was sunlight peering into the shack. Namjoon's arms were still around you as you felt sick. Squirming in his arms, you managed to escape his hold without waking him up. Normally you would have liked to stay in his arms where it was warm. Right now you just didn't want to kill the romance by throwing up. The nausea had reached its limit. If you kept refusing to let it out, you don't know what would happen. You might burst or something. Panicking as you left the house, you quietly went behind the shack. The rest of the angels were sleeping soundly when you came out. Now you were throwing up in a small ditch. Good morning to you.

As you heaved, you remembered yesterday's events. This must be the doing of the little bundle inside you. Weakly chuckling to yourself, you realized you didn't feel as shocked to it. The news seemed to settle well after some much needed rest. So you're pregnant? The smile on your face didn't last as more food decided to leave you. At this point you wouldn't have anything left inside your stomach besides water. Trembling to hold your body up, you groaned until you noticed someone delicately holding your hair back. It was no longer getting in the way or slipping down your shoulders.

"Keep going if you need to. No need to feel shame," Taehyung's deep voice soothed you. It only felt like your body wanted to throw up, but you were done. Nothing else would come out. Sitting down on the ground, you watched Taehyung push dirt into the ditch you relieved yourself in. "I brought the medicine." He held it out, shaking the little bottle in front of you. "It works. Trust me. I dug this herb out myself."

"Thank you." You brought it over to your lips. Drinking it, you scrunched your face at the bitter taste. He chuckled and shrugged at you.

"Not the best taste, I admit. It will help keep you from losing your food though." Taehyung sighed as he looked down at your stomach. "You're about ten weeks along judging from your symptoms and the information I was given."

"Ten weeks?" You stared down at your clothed tummy. Placing your hand on it, you could feel the smallest bump. It wasn't anything noticeable, but it was slightly hard.

"In two weeks is when it's safe to say the baby will stay," Taehyung stated. He stood up on his own, reaching his hand out for you to grab. Grabbing a hold of it, you stood up and followed him back over to the front of his home. Taehyung walked over to sit on his porch, swinging his legs back and forth while you stayed on standing.

You were watching as the angels slowly stirred awake. The first to open their eyes by habit was Solji. She propped herself up, looking over to the others before her eyes met yours. She gave you a small smile as you waved to her. Despite throwing up, you were feeling a lot better about everything this morning. Things were feeling a lot calmer even though there might be a storm soon to come. You were tired of letting yourself fall into negative thoughts. That wasn't like you at all. It was time to hold positive thoughts now that you were holding a baby inside of you. That was still weird to think about. You couldn't even imagine how it would feel to walk with a bigger stomach. You giggled at your imagination by the time other angels were waking up.

They were slowly pushing themselves up into sitting positions. Some were quicker to wake up than others. The ones ready to start their day were already stretching. They were following their routine normally until they felt your gaze on them. That's when they remembered the surprising news. Pursing your lips, you watched some of them grow awkward. You weren't sure if any of them had fully accepted it. If learning about your relationship with Namjoon came off as surprising then you doubt they were prepared for the idea of you being pregnant. It still left you stunned when you thought about it for long. But instead of being surprised, you wanted to get work done. This only made you more determined to stop the marriage between Lady Eunchae and Namjoon from happening. You can do this!

Namjoon finally stepped out of Taehyung's home. He rushed to the door, holding onto the door frame in panic. He woke up to see you weren't there and then Taehyung was missing as well. That didn't help ease him one bit as he hurried out before seeing you standing outside. Taehyung was only sitting on the porch while the rest of the angels were all standing up by now. A heavy breath left Namjoon to see everything was fine after all. He just overreacted, but better safe than sorry. He was still wary of Taehyung while you easily trusted him for his actions towards you earlier. Even if he doesn't appear to be a fan of people in general, he genuinely does care about helping you with his medicine. Stranger or not.

The King allowed the door to close behind him as he stepped out. He cleared his throat loudly, catching the attention of the angels. They didn't bother exchanging glances at each other. They could figure what this conversation was going to be about. Namjoon combed his fingers through his hair, attempting to get rid of the mess the sleep caused. You slowly made your way over next to Taehyung. Hopping onto the porch, you sat next to him as the angels came closer. They stood in front of you all with their eyes solely on Namjoon. Taehyung was watching as if this was all for his entertainment, amused he got to witness all this seeing as he's just a random man living in the woods.

"(F/n) is pregnant." Was the first thing to leave Namjoon's lips. You didn't know how to feel about it, but you let him continue. Taehyung seemed to have the same reaction as you which almost got you to laugh. "I intend to marry her as quickly as possible. I don't know when that will be but...I'll figure it out. We're due to meet Lady Eunchae in a few days at most."

"So you're really going to marry (F/n)?" Hyojin asked as Namjoon nodded. She took in a breath, not saying anything else. There was nothing to protest against. Things grew a lot more complicated with a baby in the picture. Who was she to tell Namjoon not to marry the mother of his child?

"We're all going to accept this and support their marriage going forward," Solji spoke loudly to the angels. They looked in her direction, some readier than others to listen to her order.

"I support it with my entire heart. Congratulations to the both of you." Jeonghwa smiled at Namjoon and you. She's always been sweet, making you feel warm inside.

"I'm excited for this baby as well." Hyelin giggled, joining Jeonghwa in the excitement.

"This means we'll protect (F/n) when we arrive at Lady Eunchae's household. There's no exceptions to this." Heeyeon nodded at her own words. She sighed since she was originally unsure about this entire thing. Now that she looked at you, her eyes were sympathetic. "She's carrying the next heir to the throne. That being said, the King chose her as well...I will support it."

"Unnie...thank you." Your eyes widened to hear the change. She wasn't just following her words for the King. She was doing this for you as well. The little baby too. Her emotions around the situation were changing as she smiled at you, bowing. It was touching coming from her and you hoped Hyojin would begin to feel the same. Hwayoung too. Your eyes couldn't stop from going over to the girl. Hwayoung still looked like there were multiple thoughts running through her head at once. Her eyes slowly connected with yours to feel your stare. It felt intense, enough to make you look back at your own lap in surprise.

"What do we do now?" Hyelin tilted her head, looking for someone to answer her question. Namjoon sighed with Solji, the two trying to think of something. That's when Taehyung lifted up his hand to catch everyone's attention.

"I have a few requests," He started. Namjoon was quick to glare at the male, but Taehyung brushed it off as he continued, "Get some more oranges for (F/n). Other fruits will do, but I suggest she eats more plants rather than meat at the moment. She needs it and so does the little guy." Taehyung gestured to your small bump. You giggled as the angels nodded at his words. Namjoon was tempted to scoff, seeing them take orders from this guy rather than him. It was hard to get upset though. Taehyung was only helping you so the King didn't really have a good excuse on why this weirdo frustrated him at times.

"Yes! Let's search for fruits to give to (F/n)!" Namjoon repeatedly awkwardly. The angels looked at him for a few seconds before Solji began leading the search. Namjoon almost stumbled on his feet, joining them. He wanted to be a part of it too. He enthusiastically jumped around, waving at you as he left. Waving back at him, your chuckles were cut short by Taehyung's heavy sigh.

"That's our King?" Taehyung blinked.

"Is there a problem?" You raised an eyebrow at him. Taehyung faced you, only shrugging as he stood up again. The male vanished inside his home for whatever reason. You weren't really offended by his words. It didn't sound like there was any judgement behind them so you let it be.

Taehyung didn't come back outside and he didn't make any noises inside. You had no idea what he was doing, but you were fine with staying outside on your own. Breathing in the fresh air was making you feel better. It was also helping you note the few differences that your body felt. Nothing extreme besides tender breasts and the slightest bit of weight gain. You were panicking a lot last night, but you were starting to warm up to the idea of being pregnant. You've always wanted to be a mother so it didn't take long for you to start looking fondly at the little bump. Placing your hand, you grew giddy at the thought of your dreams coming true. It felt as if Fate was on your side.

It was impossible not to let your imagination run wild. Staring off at nothing, you got lost in your daydreams about the future. You could already picture the baby being born. In your eyes, the baby would be a boy. He would be a lot like his father or at least you hoped. There was nothing special about you to pass on. Maybe your fighting skills, but you hoped the baby wouldn't grow up to cause trouble. You'll do your best to raise the child! Balling up your hands in fists, you already knew you would do better. Much better than your parents ever did. You would love your child.

While you were lost in your thoughts, you didn't notice a man trudging his way over to Taehyung's shack. He was wearing rags compared to the proper clothes Taehyung wore. His hair matted and face dirty, a scowl on his lips. He noticed your form staring calmly out at the woods, but no Taehyung in sight. He scoffed to himself when you finally sensed another presence. You turned your head in his direction as you became aware of him approaching Taehyung's shack. You weren't in the least bit afraid by this man, but you still made a reach for your scabbard only to realize all your weapons and armor had been removed. That's fine. He's not carrying any weapons with him. Narrowing your eyes on him, you watched him march over to Taehyung's front door.

"Open up! I want more!" The man banged his fist against the door. You watched him from the corner of your eye, alert as the scene played out next to you. "I know you're in there!"

"Go away, Beggar!" Taehyung yelled. It looked like Taehyung was aware of who it was. A loud cuss left the man a few moments after. It made you wonder if he realized you were outside with this beggar. "Yah! Just leave!"

"I won't leave! Give me more of your wine!" The beggar was getting agitated. He started pounding both fists loudly on the wooden door.

"They have healing properties! They're not meant to get drunk on!" Taehyung growled. "Go away!" You began to turn your body to face the door. It didn't look like this man was planning on leaving any time soon. He kept shouting before Taehyung actually opened the door harshly. The beggar stumbled back and was taken by surprise when Taehyung tried beating him with a broom. Taehyung was doing his best to push the man away when the broom was ripped from his grip. You immediately stood up as the beggar held the broom. Taehyung crossed his arms above his head to protect himself, but you were on your way.

"This doesn't concern you!" The beggar huffed, about to swing the broom when you grabbed a hold of it. He wanted to pull it back, but your grip was solid. He couldn't get you to let go and when that didn't work, he tried pushing you back with the broom only for your footing to be stable. This was clearly taking him by surprise. While he was confused, you took this chance to use the broom to your advantage. Twisting with your right hand to bring one side down and your left lifting off the other end, the man fell over on his side easily and let go of the broom.

"Get up," You whispered to Taehyung. He was still crouched, nervous for his safety. He was shaking until he noticed you took down the man. Taehyung nodded, running back over to the porch to let you handle this beggar. He appeared to have anger issues so he wasn't going to leave just yet. Not with a woman taking him down like its nothing.

"Little wench." The beggar panted as he got up onto his feet. Clicking your tongue at him, you hit his head with the broom more to scold him than to hurt him.

"That's no way to talk about a lady." You narrowed your eyes on him.

There wasn't much time for him to really say anything. Taehyung was nervously watching on his porch and you wanted this beggar gone before the others come. This is probably the last time you'll get to fight someone. You'll protect Taehyung and stop this man from ever bothering him again. Swinging the end of the broom, you struck the man's neck. He stumbled but managed to stay on his feet. You didn't want to continue using this broom. It was weak and would snap if you used too much force. Tossing it to the side, quickly swung your hand under to hit his jaw. His head shot back from the action as you kicked his stomach next. You weren't giving him much time to think until now.

He spit on the ground before looking at you with large eyes. The beggar looked crazy, furious that you were successfully laying a hand on him. Taehyung was struggling to watch on the sidelines. He's never seen you fight before. Much less a woman take on a man. He couldn't stop fidgeting and almost screamed when the beggar charged at you like a madman. The beggar's arms were spread wide and he was entirely open. It was easy to assume he wanted to choke you or push you down. That was never going to happen. Ducking under his arm, you were quick to grab his wrist and push him down onto his knees. The action didn't really hurt, but it got him down. Letting go of his arm, you swung your leg to hit his head. He fell yet he was still moving to your dismay.

Taehyung was covering his mouth, unable to look away from the fighting now. He kicked his legs in panic the moment he saw the beggar getting back up. You wanted to laugh when he complained on why the man wouldn't just die already. You weren't planning on killing anyone today unfortunately for Taehyung, but you'll get this guy off his back. The beggar stood up on shaky legs just as you went to lock your arms around his chest. You held him tightly no matter how hard he tried to push you off. Your leg lifted itself quickly to hit the back of his knee, making him go back down. Now that he was on the ground again, you took the chance to hit the easy target between his legs.

He gasped and practically melted onto the floor. Most men were easy to take down with that hit, but you needed his adrenaline to go away first. Otherwise he would fight through the pain and that's not what you needed. His energy was low, he was probably still hungover, and hadn't had a proper meal in days. Dusting off your hands, you faced Taehyung who was staring at you in awe. He was about to start clapping until his eyes grew twice their size. He pointed behind you which got you to sigh.

"(F/n)!" Taehyung grabbed at his hair when you felt the man's chest press against your back. His arms had quickly wrapped around your neck.

"Little b*tch!" He had the audacity to try and choke you? You don't think so. Kicking your head back, you struck his nose harshly and took his shock as a chance to bend forward. The man flung over you and landed flat on his back.

"Leave Taehyung alone!" You walked over to step on the man's throat. The beggar wriggled underneath, trying to escape only for you to force more pressure on him.

"Do it! Do it! Finish him!" Taehyung was struggling to sit still. You shook your head, removing your foot from the man's throat.

"I suggest you never bother Taehyung if you want to live to drink again." You threatened in a low voice. The beggar rubbed his throat, crawling away before breaking out into a sprint. He didn't look back once as you glared at him. Eventually he was gone and there was no sight of him. Finally. Sighing to yourself, you grabbed the broom and brought it over to Taehyung who had his mouth open. "Your broom."

"Forget the broom! I understand why the King uses female guards!" Taehyung laughed. "That was amazing! He never suspected it! Oh, how his pride must be hurt!"

"Reactions can be quite fun sometimes." You chuckled as he took the broom. This was the most animated you've seen Taehyung.

"You did all of that...and you're pregnant!" Taehyung softly punched the air to mimic you before giving you a giant square grin.

"I was bored." You shrugged shyly, sitting down next to him.

"Well...thank you. I didn't know I would be using your fighting skills this soon when you offered yesterday." Taehyung crossed his legs. You giggled, staring at Taehyung as he moved himself to face you. "Actually, I can help the King and you get married." Your brows jumped in interest to hear this so suddenly from him.

"What? Really?" You leaned closer to him as he nodded.

"It may not be a proper ceremony for a King and a Queen, but an average one between people. I can bind you two together." Taehyung clapped his hands together. He grinned to see you squealing, clasping your hands over your mouth. "I even have two carved wooden ducks to give the two of you as a wedding gift. You're lucky since I don't do wedding ceremonies often and have only those two left."

"Weddings ducks? Taehyung, thank you so much!" You bowed your head as he chuckled.

"I believe it's a fair exchange." Taehyung nodded before he was suddenly pulled into a tight hug from you. He laughed, patting your back as you let your excitement almost strangle the air out of the poor male. Taehyung gasped when you finally released him. Giggling shyly, sometimes you forget your own strength.

Taehyung was actually really fun to be around once you get to know him. You knew he wasn't anyone to be suspicious of. It was always something you had a good feeling on. Reading people could be considered your specialty at times. Taehyung didn't want to show you the ducks yet since he wanted to give you them during the ceremony. He only described how they were painted, but they were currently hidden in cloth. The mandarin ducks meant a lot as wedding gifts. They wished a long successful marriage along with fertility. You always liked the story that went along with the mandarin ducks though. They were mated for life. Fated.

At least Namjoon and you would have the ducks. A proper wedding ceremony can happen once the two of you are back in the palace. You may not get to wear the proper clothes, headpieces, or even the makeup for the ceremony, but you did love Namjoon with all your heart. He felt the same and you were certain of that. You waited outside with Taehyung until the rest came back. You couldn't wait to tell Namjoon about what Taehyung offered. Soon you heard the familiar voices of the angels and you leaped off the porch the minute you saw Namjoon walking over. He smiled the moment he saw you, the two of you running towards each other.

"Namjoon!" You wrapped your arms around his neck as he picked you up happily.

"My beautiful Queen, did you miss me?" He kissed your lips, carefully setting you down.

"I did and Taehyung told me some amazing news!" You held his hands, dragging him over to your new friend. Taehyung had stayed sitting on the porch, staring at Namjoon silently. "Tell him what you told me, Taehyung!" You were bouncing, catching the attention of all the angels who arrived with handfuls of fruit.

"I can marry the two of you. I am capable of leading ceremonies and I have two ducks to gift the both of you if you want it," Taehyung stated. "Unless you want to wait for a proper wedding."

Namjoon stared at Taehyung with wide eyes. He told him something that was better than he expected. He didn't really know what you were bringing him to Taehyung over for. Maybe something about the baby? He couldn't be sure but hearing that Taehyung could bind the two of you as one made him incredibly happy. Dimples appeared on Namjoon's cheeks as he pleaded for Taehyung to perform the ceremony. A shady man living in the woods, but incredibly helpful none the less. He found out what was going on with you and could get you married to Namjoon. If this was a dream, you didn't want to wake up. It was almost too good to be true.

The other angels came closer at the mention of a marriage ceremony. It was happening a lot sooner than they thought, but Namjoon and you didn't want to waste another moment. Taehyung took a hold of Namjoon after getting the ducks and ushered all the ladies into his house. You were given some time to get ready while Taehyung gave the run down to the King outside of his home. Your heart was pounding, knowing this would be rushed and that you didn't really have much to work with. You just needed to brush your hair since it got messy fighting that beggar earlier.

You sat on the floor, removing your hairpin and ribbon as the girls sat around you. It made you want to picture how they would react once you get the real ceremony. Would they be more nervous? You probably would be. There was no doubt in your mind that you would also be crying too. Jeonghwa couldn't sit still as Solji brushed your hair for you. Hyelin was squealing, hugging the maknae who was getting emotional. If she cries then you have no doubt that you'll begin to cry too. Everyone in here would start crying and you didn't want that to start. Heeyeon used some water from her pouch to wet down your hair to keep it in place. You appreciated all their efforts that they were doing for you. You stared at the angels, your eyes eventually landing on Hyojin who was holding your hairpin.

"(F/n)...I never thought you would get married this soon. To the King is what made it an even bigger surprise and then hearing that you're pregnant..." Hyojin cleared her throat, tears forming in her eyes. Please don't cry or else you will too. She was looking the hairpin over in her hand as she took in a breath. "It's a lot to take in, but I'm happy for you. I really am and I hope the King and you have a happy marriage."

"Thank you, Unnie." You smiled, blinking away any tears that tried to get the best of you. "That means a lot."

"I'm sorry if I hurt you when I didn't accept it right away...it's just that being with the King is dangerous." Hyojin frowned. "But I'll protect you and so will the others. I'll make sure of that."

"I have no doubt that I'll be safe with you guys around," You said as she scooted closer with the hairpin.

"I remember when I first saw this hairpin. It's still beautiful, but I thought it was from your Abeoji..." Hyojin carefully placed it on your hair. "It's not, is it?"

"No." You looked her in the eyes with a smile. "Namjoon gave it to me."

"...I swear, he better f*cking cherish you." Hyojin stood up, turning around to wipe her eyes. You laughed at her words as Solji shook her head.

"He already does!" Solji grinned.

"Have you seen the way he looks at her?" Jeonghwa whined, falling onto her back. "Why can't a man look at me that way!?"

"Me too! I want that too!" Hyelin groaned, pouting heavily.

"(F/n) also turns into a puddle in front of the King. Have you seen her?" Heeyeon teased before mimicking the way you ran over to Namjoon earlier today. "My love! Kiss me!"

"I did not say that!" You blushed, wanting to throw the hairbrush at her. She snorted at her own joke, getting the rest of the girls to laugh along. The only one who had stayed silent was Hwayoung who sat in the corner of the room.

"Hey Hwayoung, don't you want a romance?" Hyelin chuckled. You looked over at the girl, hiding a smile as her eyes became huge. She was stiff, looking around the room in confusion. "I wonder what type of man you would be into. Probably someone just like you."

"W-What?" Hwayoung coughed.

"He'd be quiet, wise, and probably older." Hyelin tapped her chin. Hwayoung was turning red when Jeonghwa started shaking her head.

"I think he would need to be a little more talkative and then that's the right guy for her!" Jeonghwa corrected her unnie, the two satisfied with their accurate qualities that Hwayoung would want from a man. They fit Seungwon pretty well.

"I think that guy sounds perfect for Hwayoung." You smiled as Hwayoung looked at you with the smallest pout. Her cheeks were pink, too flustered to say anything back to her angels.

"Y-You're all ridiculous." Besides that.

All the girl talk was making you feel a lot better already. Hyojin joined in accepting the relationship between Namjoon and you. Her and Heeyeon really made your day. They said some touching words that you held close to your heart. All that was left was to get Hwayoung to talk to you more. It looked like she was slowly coming out of her shell again. She could look you in the eyes now and was talking if the angels spoke to her. You just needed her to speak to you. That's all you wanted from Hwayoung to at least understand what was going on through her mind. That way being patient for her to accept the relationship would be a lot easier. It looked like you would still have to wait on that though as she returned to being quiet by the time you were ready to come out for the ceremony.

It's not like you were dressed in anything special. You just didn't have your armor on, but your hair was neat with the hairpin placed securely too. All the angels had walked out before you to make sure everything was ready. They let out some hollers which meant Namjoon probably touched up his looks too. Now you were really getting nervous. Flattening out your clothes, you were nibbling on your bottom lip when Hwayoung stepped back into Taehyung's house with you. Staring at her curiously, you noticed the flowers in her hands. They were beautiful.

"For me?" You pointed to yourself as she held them out silently. She probably didn't even pick them out herself, but you felt touched. Taking them into your hands, you grabbed her wrist before she could walk out. She looked down at your hand, her eyes slowly meeting yours again. "Thank you..." You watched as she didn't even blink. "I want to talk to you again." Finally her lips twitched as if she wanted to say something. She cleared her throat, looking away from you.

"Congratulations." She slipped away from your fingers. You let her despite wanting to hug her. You wanted your best friend back for your wedding, but you suppose it wouldn't be today. You definitely wanted to be there for her though for when she marries Seungwon. That will be the best wedding, rivaling yours with the King pretty well.

Hyojin announced that you were ready to come out. Taking in a deep breath, you began to step out of Taehyung's house at a slow pace. All the angels were lined up like soldiers, bowing as you walked down. Taehyung stood at the center with Namjoon at the side of him. You finally got a good look at the King, noticing he had let his hair down for this occasion. It was combed out and he looked stunning in his blue hanbok. He always did. He blushed as you stood across from him with the flowers. Solji was holding the ducks while Taehyung led the ceremony. All your closest friends surrounded you, the ones you considered family. It was all of Namjoon's friends too which he used to have trouble communicating with. So much growth happened for the two of you since getting closer to each other. You couldn't have found a better man to be your husband and the father of your child. Forever you will cherish him. All of you were here together like this in the spring evening, the wedding ceremony entirely beautiful and serene.


	40. Hurt

Ch.39

The ceremony left you with the biggest smile you've ever had. Your cheeks were hurting by the end of the night. All of you stayed at Taehyung's place just one more night due to the celebration. You were getting lost in the moment, enjoying your time with Namjoon. Just being with him felt so right and you wanted to keep this memory forever. Taehyung had pulled out an old instrument from his house, playing what he could while the angels sang songs. You got to dance with Namjoon, feeling like the most beautiful bride in his eyes. You weren't in any special dress, but you were you. That was everything he ever wanted.

You'd be lying if you said you didn't cry that night. You just felt so many emotions and Taehyung also said that you would be getting hormonal with a baby in your stomach. Everything was just so perfect even if it wasn't done the traditional way. It's not like you had a good streak by doing things traditionally seeing as you have a little baby inside you before you got married. That was okay though. It didn't bother you or the other girls one bit. They were all incredibly supportive on your special night with the King. Even Taehyung felt like a long time friend for everything he's done for you two in the short amount of time that you've known him.

He performed the ceremony and was the reason Namjoon and you got the weddings ducks. It all meant so much to you. Taehyung was consistently generous as he gave you guys a satchel to put the ducks in as well as the pregnancy medicine that you needed. It was keeping you from throwing up and feeling extremely weak so you were grateful. This little guy inside you was already causing trouble but you loved it. You'd go through anything for him assuming he's a boy. It didn't matter too much to you. All you knew was that you had gotten extremely attached to the baby in just a day. Having them in your stomach during the ceremony made it a hundred times better.

Everything was magically perfect in your eyes. There was nothing you would change about the ceremony in particular. It was more meaningful the way it happened. Maybe just one thing. The only thing that you thought would have been nice was if Hwayoung participated in the ceremony more. She didn't really dance nor sing, but she watched everyone have fun. At one point you tried to convince her to dance with you. She was sitting quietly on the porch while you were dancing in front of her, probably looking like an idiot as you tried to convince her. You got a chuckle to leave her, but she tried her best to convince you that she wasn't feeling up to dancing. Not even at your wedding? She looked down at the ground, but you left her since you didn't want to make it worse by pushing it.

She was coming around though. You could sense it! That's what made your night not so bad. There's still a lot of hope for the two of you to be just as close as before. When the night came to a close, the angels wished Namjoon and you a good night. They slept outside while Namjoon and you went inside to sleep on the quilt. Taehyung was quick to rush in and remind Namjoon that he already gotten you pregnant, hoping nothing would occur under his roof. You laughed in embarrassment while Namjoon grumbled under his breath. That was how your night ended and it was wonderful.

It was soon morning again which managed to make you a little sad. That meant that all of you would be continuing the journey to Lady Eunchae. She wasn't that far away according to Taehyung. If he was thinking of the right noble family then you guys were pretty near. He wasn't completely sure since he never cared too much about them. Though you weren't thrilled to meet Lady Eunchae, you gained more reasons as to why the marriage between Namjoon and her can't happen. There's also the fact that you just married him yesterday. Sitting up, you sighed as you looked around the room to meet eyes with Taehyung.

"Did you sleep well, your Highness?" Taehyung asked. Somehow hearing someone address you by that title caused a shiver to run down your spine. So you're technically the Queen of the nation now? It doesn't feel real. That's for sure.

"I slept comfortably. Thank you for everything, Taehyung." You smiled as he bowed. The male shuffled in his home, grabbing a bottle of medicine. It looked like he had spent time creating some more for you. He carefully walked over to you, not wanting to wake up the King.

"Here's a refill if any sickness is still bothering you," He whispered as you took the bottle in your own hands.

"You're the sweetest." You giggled lightly, giving him a beaming smile. Taehyung turned pink in embarrassment, watching you put the medicine away in the bag he gave you. He ended up giving all the angels little bags to put their things in. He didn't have to but he was very generous to you guys.

"I'm really not, but thanks...your Highness." Taehyung awkwardly bowed. He sighed heavily, bringing his hands up to his face. He only felt more embarrassed from that, but you adored it. Taehyung's awkward nature was endearing. Despite preferring to be alone and not talking with others, he was doing all these things for you guys. Maybe it was the fact that you beat up a guy for him, but you like to think you can charm the socially awkward people. They're always the most fun to be around anyway. They're true friends.

It seemed like your giggling and Taehyung's groaning managed to wake up the King though. Taehyung got tense, scooting away back to his quilt. Namjoon stirred as you leaned close to his face with excitement. He slowly opened his eyes, confused when he saw you so close. Pecking his lips quickly, you were about to leave when he tugged you back down. It took you by surprise to suddenly be cuddled by him. He had you locked in his arms as he dug his head in the crook of your neck. He only got to kiss you for a bit before Taehyung cleared his throat and coughed loudly.

"I'd like to remind you that there is someone in the room, your Majesty." Taehyung pursed his lips.

"Then leave." Namjoon frowned. Playfully smacking Namjoon's chest, you squirmed out of his hold and got up.

"Let's get up and eat before we have to continue the journey, Namjoon." You nudged him with your foot.

"Yes, I'm getting up." Namjoon stretched his body, looking over at Taehyung. The younger male had only been silently sitting as you got ready for the day. "You. Help me get dressed." Namjoon sat up casually. Taehyung's eyes widened at the request since Namjoon only needed to put on a few outer coat layers. You shook your head, but Namjoon seemed happy with himself.

"Do I look castrated to you?" Taehyung huffed.

"I can get that arranged." Namjoon shrugged, watching Taehyung yelp and cover his crotch with his hands in panic.

"Leave him alone. You know how to get dressed by yourself." You sighed, ruining Namjoon's fun but saving Taehyung's bits. The King hummed as you left the house. Taehyung wished you hadn't, looking at Namjoon like an annoyed child. The King only scoffed, letting the look slide as he got ready for the day. That didn't stop him from telling Taehyung that he's lucky you liked him. Otherwise...and that's where Namjoon left it to Taehyung's imagination.

There was laughter and childish whining coming from inside the house, but you didn't think much of it. You went down the porch to see the angel's already getting up. They were doing their stretches when they saw you come out of the house. Immediately, you were greeted with friendly smiles and hugs from some of the angels. They congratulated you again for the wedding ceremony along with the baby. Though the bump was barely visible, Jeonghwa and Hyelin wanted to see. They were thrilled and couldn't wait for when you had a bigger stomach. As thrilling as that does sound, it's a good thing that you don't look pregnant as the King's angel in front of Lady Eunchae. That seemed to pull them back, disappointment hanging in the air.

"Well I don't think Lady Eunchae is a good fit for the King to begin with." Jeonghwa crossed her arms, sticking her chin in the air. You laughed as some of them didn't mind verbally agreeing with the maknae. You didn't say much on that, but you appreciated it.

"So what shall we do, my Queen? Did you want to continue with the journey right away or did you have other plans?" Solji asked you, making you turn red. Your eldest unnie called you Queen. That will take some getting used to. It felt strange coming from them and the other angels also became quiet, soon bowing deeply to you.

"I was hoping we could eat a little before we left. Is that alright?" You played with your fingers.

"Of course, your Highness. We're already near Lady Eunchae anyway." Heeyeon nodded.

"This is so weird." You wrapped your arms around yourself, feeling goosebumps.

"Well, get used to it...your Highness." Hyojin put her hands on her hips.

"I'm working on it." You grinned, rolling your eyes at her. That was one thing that made you happy though. Even with the new title, they were still teasing you just a tad here and there. Just a little more respect was given when addressing you is all. You could get used to it if it stays like this.

By the time they finished teasing you, Namjoon stepped out of the house. His presence immediately demanded silence from them. He didn't have to verbally say anything, but he had that affect. You bowed with them and smiled at the King. He walked down the porch with Taehyung trailing behind him. It didn't look like Taehyung was too traumatized by Namjoon's threats. All he did was glare at the back of Namjoon with a light pout. Taehyung was strange when you all first met him, but you see how harmless he is.

Namjoon first spoke with Solji as always. She went through the schedule of the day and mentioned that you wanted to eat first. He nodded along before Taehyung interrupted, suggesting specific food to bring back for you. They would help your baby which you appreciated. It was very sweet of Taehyung to always take care of you that way. Namjoon stuck his tongue against the inside of his cheek, agreeing with what Taehyung said as if he thought of it first. The angels were doing their best to hold in their laughter. It just felt a bit amusing that Namjoon was so bothered by Taehyung. With grins on the angel's faces, they bowed and left to fulfill Namjoon and Taehyung's order.

Though the King was giving Taehyung a hard time and Taehyung doing the same unintentionally, they seemed to get along. You didn't have to intervene like earlier today. The two men were playing a game that most children learned to play except the King was clueless. Namjoon was doing his best to catch on while Taehyung scoffed, confused on why the King couldn't learn it. Then after a few seconds, it turned out Taehyung had forgotten how to play it too. Now it was Namjoon's turn to scold the younger on why he would teach the King a game he couldn't even remember. Taehyung mumbled that he only ever watched other kids play it when he was younger and he would stay away from them.

"You need to get friends." Namjoon crossed his arms.

"You don't look like you have friends either," Taehyung said suspiciously as the King scoffed.

"Believe me! I have _friends_. Hear that? Plural!" Namjoon put his hand on his chest, smacking it for emphasis. "I have a best friend called Seungwon and then look over there! My other best friend!" Namjoon pointed at you with puffed out cheeks. Taehyung turned over to look at you, seeing your reaction to this conversation. It was...something else.

"You got that one pregnant."

"That's not the point." Namjoon clicked his tongue. "And all those other girls are my friends too."

"You need more male friends." Taehyung looked back at the King.

"I'm working on it! Leave me alone!" Namjoon retorted with a scoff. "Unless you're offering to be a friend."

"...if you want me to be." Taehyung looked down at his lap.

"I guess..." Namjoon looked away.

"You two are..." You didn't know the right word for it. A part of you wanted to laugh at the fact that this was a serious conversation while the other part of you wanted to smack your head because it was serious. At least Namjoon was doing better on making friends on his own. He does it a bit oddly, but you suppose that's better than him settling for only Seungwon and the angels.

Thankfully you didn't have to witness the weird conversation any longer. The angels came back holding their bags with freshly picked fruits. They ran over, setting them out on the porch for everyone to eat. They thanked Taehyung for the bags before eating what they got. Taehyung only nodded, grabbing an apple and going back inside his house. He allowed the rest of you to eat comfortably outside. You knew he only went inside because he was shy. He got flustered from all their thanks, quickly hiding where he felt comfortable. You'll miss Taehyung. He's a nice stranger that you were grateful for meeting. Fate was kind enough to introduce the two of you.

You were already thinking about passing by here again when you guys finish talking to Lady Eunchae. It wouldn't hurt to say hi to Taehyung. As you ate the fruits with everybody, you began to feel possibly a little emotional. It was just sad that you got to make a friend and now you'll have to leave them. Who knows if you'll ever see Taehyung again after this? You frowned at your thoughts while the rest of the angels were cleaning up. They put the extra fruits back inside the bags, ready to continue traveling. Namjoon stood up to join them so you figured it was time for you to get up too.

"We're leaving, Taehyung!" Namjoon shouted as the shy male carefully poked his head out the door. "Thank you for all that you did for us."

"Of course, your Majesty." Taehyung stepped out to bow. Just as the male was rising up, you ran over to hug him tightly. He froze from your sudden action, but Taehyung eventually relaxed enough to hug you back.

"Thank you, Taehyung. I'll miss you." You smiled, trying not to get too emotional.

"...I wish you the best of luck, my Queen." Taehyung gave you his square grin, waving when you began to walk away with the others. Taehyung sat on his porch, watching until all of you vanished from his sight. Having visitors wasn't so bad.

You did a better job holding your emotions in front of Taehyung for some reason. But as you walked with Namjoon and held the bag Taehyung gave you with the gifts, you began to cry a bit. Namjoon was quick to come to your rescue. He gave you a bunch of kisses until you were smiling again. He also had his arm around you, asking the other angels to throw you a bunch of compliments. Your cheeks were hurting from smiling as all your friends cooed at you as if you were a baby. You were only the second youngest of all the angels, but you appreciated all their words. Their compliments ranged from your appearance to your skills in fighting. You appreciated every single thing they said, thankful you had them with you.

They would make this part of the trip a lot easier if you're being honest. Facing Lady Eunchae was not a fun idea to you. Seeing as Namjoon is going to cancel the entire reason he came here for and reject her before she even has a chance to tell him 'wait', you bet she's going to be furious. If not her then her uncle. Either way, you don't expect this to be a clean-cut job. You doubt it will drag on for longer a day or two. Maybe they'll have a heated argument with the King or keep things passive aggressive, but in the end Namjoon is the King. If he doesn't want to marry Lady Eunchae then he doesn't have to. Though naturally they'll assume he'll want another pure blood bride, but the thing is...there isn't. Hopefully everything goes somewhat smoothly.

"Are you thinking about something, my Love?" Namjoon squeezed you shoulder.

"Nothing in particular." You shrugged, letting yourself rest your head against him. Namjoon kissed the top of your head gently which seem to get a reaction out of the girls.

"So cute!" Hyelin squealed.

"I want a handsome man to kiss me." Jeonghwa pouted.

"Are you calling the King handsome?" Heeyeon teased. "He's taken!"

"I wasn't interested!" Jeonghwa glared before looking over at the King. "No offense."

"I don't mind. (F/n) is the only woman for me after all." Namjoon kissed you again, enjoying the way you blushed from the attention.

"Some of us here are single." Hyojin sighed, her eyes going over to Solji. "One of us is an old maid."

"Old maid!?" Solji was quick to realize this was about her. She slapped Hyojin's arm, annoyed with how hard the girl was laughing. "You're not that young yourself!"

"Once we get back to the palace, we're all finding hot men of our own." Hyelin rubbed her hands with excitement.

"I like this idea!" Jeonghwa cheered as you laughed. Ever since they've grown comfortable with you being with the King, they've been mentioning finding men of their own. You thought it was amusing but you did wish them luck on their love lives.

All of them were the best. The angels and Namjoon never failed to make your days better. Though as you walked with them, your attention began drifting over to Hwayoung all over again. She had continued to remain relatively silent throughout most of the conversations. Maybe she would let out a laugh here and there at most, but you wanted more. The rest of angels struggled to get a full conversation with Hwayoung if you weren't there. Only you were able to get the most genuine reactions from her. You needed those moments back or else you were going to lose your mind. Hwayoung was slowly feeling natural around you again judging from last night. You just need to push a little more and before you know it, things will be normal again.

Excusing yourself from Namjoon, you ran over to Hwayoung with a large smile. She was oblivious until you hugged her from behind. She was stiff at first, turning her head desperately to see who it was. Once her eyes met yours, Hwayoung let out a nervous breath. Did a hug really make her that panicked? Loosening your grip on her, you walked to her side but kept your arm around her shoulders. You didn't want this girl going anywhere. Hwayoung had an uncomfortable expression on her face as she continued to walk forward. She was trying to ignore you, but you would continue to make her acknowledge you until she was your best friend again.

"Don't look so weirded out by me." You poked her nose. She flinched the first time before swatting your hand away when you made a second attempt.

"You are distracting me." Hwayoung sighed as you laughed.

"From what?" You poked her nose again. She scrunched her face up, not wanting you to shove your index finger near her face repeatedly. "Did I surprise you with the hug? I thought you would like it."

"...I was surprised, yes." Hwayoung nodded. She was keeping her words short but the progress was amazing. She was talking to you! You wanted to squeal and cheer. Throw your fists up in the air and jump! You pulled Hwayoung closer to you, unable to wipe the grin on your face.

"I want to talk to you more because I miss you." You began to lean against her. Hwayoung wasn't saying anything, her lips thin from what you said. You didn't think anything you said was shocking though she needed some encouragement. Letting your weight rest on Hwayoung, you waited until she couldn't keep trying to carry you. Her pace began to slow down and you were bringing down her shoulders before she had enough.

"Are you really trying to make me carry you when you gained some weight?" Hwayoung scoffed as you gasped.

"I put my armor back on for this trip and that's what you say?" You pouted, picking your own weight up again.

"Your armor always weighed the same," Hwayoung replied with a slight smile. You raised a brow at her, smiling back. "You've just ate too much fruit."

"Last I checked, I'm pregnant."

"It's a little bump!"

"Still pregnant," You mumbled as she shook her head at you. It was done from a friendly place, making you happy. Hwayoung was teasing you freely again. Bringing her into a hug, you sighed peacefully. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Hwayoung let her head rest against yours. "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay. I actually want to talk to you more about this, but later." You released her from the hug. She stared at you curiously as you glanced at the other girls. Your eyes soon went back to Hwayoung. "I'll go with you when Solji unnie tells us to do our tasks. Does that sound good?" She nodded her head, making you jump in excitement. She laughed softly as things felt like they were turning back to normal.

This was all you wanted. It felt like everything was tying itself together and your dream was just under your fingertips. Hwayoung and you needed to sort things out first, but at least the both of you were on good terms. The both of you wanted to be spending time with each other like how things used to be before so much secrets spilled out. You were ready to clear anything up and hear her out. Anything to get the two of you acting like how you used to. Once you have your conversation with Hwayoung, the only thing you'll have to fear is Lady Eunchae. That was the main thing that always stayed in the back of your head.

It's not that you were actually _afraid_ of Lady Eunchae as a person. She had power as a wealthy woman of pure blood to the royal family, but that didn't matter to you. What worried was that she could change everything. It was more her actions that made you want to turn around on this journey altogether. But you couldn't be afraid nor you could let Lady Eunchae win. Whatever it takes to keep Namjoon as your husband, you'll do it. You may not be able to protect him with everything that you got, but you knew the other girls had you covered there. They'll protect the King while you protect the future heir.

All of you walked a great distance to get here. It still left you surprised that you guys were getting closer. She was still a good amount away, but the progress was huge. As the sun neared its time to set, Solji waited for the perfect spot to rest for the night. If all of you had kept going for a little longer then you knew you would all stumble upon a large town. It had to be nearby if that beggar was able to travel all the way to Taehyung in his state. Solji decided to put that on hold for one more night, giving you a small smile as she told everyone to fulfill their tasks for one last time. She'll let you have one more night of peace with Namjoon before all you have to inevitably face his cousin and break the idea of her ever becoming Queen.

"I'll get the firewood!" Jeonghwa volunteered. "You should take it easy, (F/n)."

"Thank you, I appreciate it...I'll actually be following Hwayoung." You smiled, looking over at your friend who carried everyone's water pouches. She smiled back at you as the other angels nodded.

"I guess I'll have to stay with Solji to keep her company." Namjoon sighed heavily as the eldest crossed her arms.

"I am delightful company! Don't make it sound awful." She laughed at his behavior. The King was grinning widely as the angels began to walk off.

Hwayoung was leading the search for water, so you just followed her. You figured she knew where to find it best. She stayed silent while you hummed during the walk. The two of you would properly talk once she fills all the water pouches. You didn't want to distract her from her main task. It took a bit of extra walking, but eventually Hwayoung found a river that you knew went through the middle of the town Lady Eunchae lived. It looked like man had purposely dug and made the water go in the direction they wanted it to. Hwayoung filled the pouches one by one as you waited at her side. She handed yours back as she finished with all of them.

Now the two of you could finally get to talking! You wouldn't stop smiling at Hwayoung and it easily made her laugh. Just seeing her made you happy. She's no longer pushing you away so it left you feeling relieved. Things could get better now. If Hwayoung is able to come around then you trust Fate is on your side. It's continuously bringing you happiness with Namjoon, the baby, and all your friends being supportive. The only thing that still left you a little upset was losing Happy. You still miss him since he wasn't just any horse, but you couldn't focus on that right now. It was time for Hwayoung and you to clear the air once and for all. Finally speaking your truth and letting her do the same.

"Where do we start?" Hwayoung asked, the two of you slowly walking through the woods. It wasn't too dark so you paused in your spot to look at her.

"I'm not too sure myself..." You admitted with a light giggle. "I think maybe I should start first though and explain how my relationship with the King came to be."

"That would be nice to hear." She nodded as you took in a huge breath.

Did it even have a proper beginning? You were already blushing as you recounted the long story. It honestly all started after his coronation ceremony. He hated you at first, but then the two of you became friends. He crossed a line and apologized for his mistake. The friendship was the start of something beautiful. It was meant to stay like that at first. Only friends yet that clearly changed. With the barrier of King and angel down, you believed you allowed Namjoon to get closer to you than he ever has to anybody else. Something clicked between the two of you. It was mutual, but you weren't going to face those feelings. The original plan was to ignore them until the King just _had_ to confess to you. Then he was persistent as Hell to get you to say you loved him back. And you did.

"It felt too powerful to run away from." Your cheeks were hurting from how hard you were smiling. "Namjoon eventually brought up the idea of making love the night we all beat up those brutes."

"That actually makes sense now that I think of it." Hwayoung looked up at the sky, going back in her memory. "The times you called him by his name and how he would always disappear with you. Not to mention, he said he loves us girls...that was meant to be just for you, wasn't it?" She turned her head back to look at you.

"Yes." You blushed despite being married to the man and carrying his child already. Besides, this is Hwayoung you're talking to. Someone you're incredibly comfortable talking to.

"And then those questions about sex too!" Hwayoung scoffed as you covered your face. "The King couldn't keep his hands off you, couldn't he? That's how he got you pregnant in such a short amount of time!"

"Maybe." You squeaked.

"He's lucky he's King." Hwayoung crossed her arms, wanting to give Namjoon a piece of her mind. You felt like you could already hear her thoughts. She would probably want to call Namjoon a dog for how insistent he was on it. You didn't mind it that much though. It was only when the timing wasn't right and it was too risky that you felt like calling him the same thing. "It still takes me by surprise though that you ended up falling for the King. I wouldn't have expected it."

"Me neither in all honesty...I would have imagined I would have fallen sooner since we've known him for so long." You sighed, kicking the dirt. "But I guess I didn't really know him then and it wasn't until recently that he allowed us to protect him."

"Becoming King has changed a lot of things," Hwayoung said as a smirk began to appear on your lips. She was quick to notice it, not liking where this was going. She could already see the intent in your eyes as you walked closer to her. It made her want to run away from you, but you wouldn't let her.

"We can finally talk about our lovers together!" You grabbed her arm, squealing as she turned red. "This is so exciting! I can tell you about my first kiss and all the romantic things Namjoon has said to me." You felt yourself turning into a puddle already. He just made you so happy that you couldn't help react this way.

Hwayoung let you gush about Namjoon though. She listened as you described every detail of the first kiss. You felt like a preteen all over again while telling her the story. You could only imagine how you would have been if you had your first kiss at thirteen just like Hwayoung. It would have you screaming and singing. Just picturing your thirteen year old elf getting kissed by a young Crown Prince Namjoon made you feel warm inside. He was always just right there! Why didn't you get a crush on him at all? It was almost upsetting that you had to wait for romance to enter your life until you were twenty, but you suppose that's a decent age. You're not considered an old maid yet!

The romantic stories that you shared eventually had to come to an end as you realized you were doing all the talking. You were burning daylight! Embarrassed, you apologized to Hwayoung since she still hadn't explained what was going on through her mind. She didn't mind your storytelling though and had listened to every word. Now that it was her turn to talk, she took in a huge breath. The bright mood was turning serious again. You'll understand her viewpoint though. You were sure of it, giving her a comforting smile to just go on with what she was thinking.

"My first reaction to the King and you was shock, obviously...I was just speechless." Hwayoung shrugged as you nodded. "It hurt, I admit, that you never once told me. We don't really keep secrets from one another so that stung more than I'm happy to say." She rubbed her arm. "It still is a lot to take in since it has only been a few days. You've been with him for months, but it's just been a week for me to discover the two of you are lovers and that you're also pregnant...now married."

"It is a lot." You continued to nod.

"I'm coming to accept it though as shocking as it is. After all, we were raised to be angels for him and nothing else. I still can't help to feel as though you're running from your Fate though," Hwayoung said as you stopped nodding. Becoming still, you tilted your head at her with a small frown on your face. "I genuinely felt that a part of it is true."

"True? Why would you say that?" You were quick to get defensive. "I'm not running away from my Fate, Hwayoung. I'm still with the King."

"Yes, but you're meant to protect him as his guardian angel. Turning into his lover is not the same." Hwayoung slowly started to furrow her brows at your tone. It felt as if she had slapped you. "(F/n), you told me to tell you how I felt. This is it. This is how I feel. I can't change it right away just because you don't like it."

"I'm...I'm just offended you would go as far to say I'm running from my Fate. I understand if accepting my relationship with the King will take you time, but don't say something you know nothing about." You narrowed your eyes on her as she raised a brow at you. "Fate wanted the King and I together."

"Does it or is that what you want?" Hwayoung's words cut at you. "I would understand better if you had been born of higher status or were originally meant to marry the King, but this is a reach. The King and you fell in love because you were already close friends stuck on a month's long journey together." Hwayoung crossed her arms even as you felt tears building up. "You said it yourself that you were surprised you fell for him later on rather than sooner. If Fate truly wanted you to leave your position as guardian angel then you would have liked him when we were kids."

"As if Fate is picky on timing!" You retorted. "Hwayoung, you never know what Fate has in store. The future can do as it pleases and we have no say. The feelings I feel for the King are real and I refuse to believe I'm 'running away from Fate' because I'm following it. Being with Namjoon feels right. I feel happy!"

"I'm only saying how it feels for me. I'm telling you my thoughts and what I first believed was maybe this was a temporary thing." Hwayoung sighed, seeing you get frustrated with her. "You've told me millions of times that you dreamed of being a Lady in fancy clothing and living an extravagant life. Is this not what this is?" Hwayoung caused your jaw to drop. "Maybe not, but you can't blame me for having those thoughts at first. We're trained to be the King's angels and nothing more."

"You really thought I was capable of using Namjoon even for a second?" A tear slipped down your cheek. Hwayoung frowned but didn't express much. "I put the King first my entire life! As his friend, angel, and lover! There's no doubt in my mind that we're meant to be and I would never do anything to harm him! Fate has that set for us!"

"I know it's not what you wanted to hear, (F/n)," Hwayoung said as you sniffled. "But you can't twist Fate's intentions for your own selfish desires. That's not how it works."

"Then what about you and Seungwon!?" You raised your voice.

Something in you snapped. You didn't want to have any more tears fall down your face from the harsh words that left Hwayoung. They felt so cruel. They added to your fear. Feasted on your worries and you couldn't take it anymore. You wanted to hear her truth though, but this isn't what you wanted. None of it was what you wanted. Hwayoung had been standing tall while you felt like you were crumbling. So you wanted to hurt her back. Hurt her where it counts. For the first time, you used words to harm someone. For the first time, you wanted Hwayoung to feel pain.

"...what about us?" Hwayoung had remained silent for some time. She couldn't believe his name was brought into the conversation like this. Of all times, the love of her life had to be used as a weapon against her. "This isn't about us!"

"But the same applies to you!" You gritted your teeth as she shook her head. She didn't want to hear anything that you had to say. "Seungwon is meant to be an adviser and you're meant to be an angel too! You're not meant to marry and cross bloodlines!"

"If I have a son first then it won't matter!" Hwayoung's voice was no longer stable. You hurt her. She stared at you with sad eyes, swallowing hard. "Seungwon and I have been in love since we first met...we're not the same as you and the King."

"That doesn't mean you get to do as you want," You spoke coldly. "You can't run away from Fate just because you're in love. At least I _stay_ with the King." You were glaring at her as she became confused. Hwayoung shook her head at you, opening her mouth to say something, but nothing did. So you would speak for her. "I know Seungwon and you got the King's blessing to marry. I _know_ that you plan on running away with him in the middle of the night and never returning to the capital! I _know_ that you plan to do that no matter what Namjoon says! _**That**_! That is running away from Fate! That is not what I'm doing so you have _no_ place! No place to be telling me that I'm the one running from Fate when that is you! **You**! You're the one guilty of it and not me!" You pointed an accusing finger at the girl who was now shaking. "YOU HYPOCRITE!"

You were breathing heavily as your boiling blood pulsed through your veins. Anger had suddenly taken over you in a white flash. Things that shouldn't have been said shot out like venomous daggers. They all stabbed Hwayoung successfully as she stood weakly in front of you. She no longer stood with a straight posture nor was her voice confident. Her own eyes were red and cheeks stained with tears like yours. The both of you in the end were no better than the other. Eventually, you were calming down from your rage. All that you had said was it. That was everything you knew that would hurt her. Hwayoung hands slowly became tight fists as she looked at you in a way that you never knew would hurt so much.

"D-Did he tell you?" Her voice fragile.

"No, he didn't tell me," You replied in a quiet voice as she kept silent. "I caught you and Seungwon talking about it the night before the entire journey started. I've known for that long and I was going to let it happen without saying anything—"

"Then why didn't you!?" Hwayoung was quick to bring her hand to her mouth, sobbing now.

"B-Because you started telling me that I was running from Fate!"

_Because you hurt me and I wanted to hurt you too._

Hwayoung and you stared at each other for an eternity. You couldn't convince yourself to walk away and she most likely felt the same. Seeing her teary eyes filled with pain, you couldn't look away. They were pulling you in until you felt guilt eating at you. You shouldn't have hurt her like that. You shouldn't have spoken to her like that. This conversation shouldn't end like this. Not like this. You stepped forward just as she was wiping away all the tears from her face. Reaching out towards her, Hwayoung only took a step away from you. Anger no longer filled you as you stared at your friend. Only regret.

"Hwayoung, I'm sorry—"

"We should head back. We've spent too much time talking about something pointless." Hwayoung took in a deep breath before clearing her throat.

"But Hwayoung—" You tried again as she shook her head, her eyes pleading you to stop.

"I'm sorry, but not now...I can't right now." Hwayoung attempted to give you a smile. "After we deal with Lady Eunchae tomorrow. Then...we'll talk."

"...if that's what you want...then okay." You slowly nodded to see her walk off without wasting another second. Hwayoung couldn't stand being alone with you. Wiping your own tears, you wanted to scream. So much for getting Hwayoung back.

You returned to the others feeling broken. Hwayoung carried the same lost look in her eyes as you. The two of you were out of it as the rest of the angels came back. They were oblivious as they talked over one another, loudly eating and laughing. You gave them weak smiles which was enough to be overlooked. All you said was that you were tired and they left you alone. Then Hwayoung was always quiet. She kept to herself and they thought of that as ordinary. They were all oblivious and no one said a thing about it as Solji told everyone to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day, she said. That only made you feel even more sick.

Laying down on the ground, it was as hard as you remember. It wouldn't be comfortable for the baby, but you believed you deserved some sort of punishment for what you did to Hwayoung. Flashes of the fight appeared in your head again. It only caused fresh tears to form in your eyes to your dismay. Weeping silently, you felt arms wrap around you and pull you close to their chest. It didn't take you long to figure out who this familiar and warm embrace belonged to. Burying your face into their chest, you desperately clung onto them as they stroked your hair. They didn't say anything first, only giving you time before they kissed your forehead.

"What's wrong?" Namjoon whispered. "Why are you crying?" He used his hand to wipe away tears, kissing your cheeks and hoping it would make you feel better somehow. Sniffling, you held him close against you.

"I'm just scared for tomorrow..."

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine tomorrow," Namjoon reassured you, hugging you tightly. You closed your eyes as you hoped for sleep to just overcome you already. Fate...please be kind.


	41. Meeting The Lady

Ch.40

Was it possible to wake up miserable before you even remembered what you were sad over in the first place? Apparently so. You woke up, your eyes opening as the sun was rising and immediately you wanted to go back to sleep. You didn't feel like doing today. There was no energy in you so your body just wasn't going to bother. All you wanted was for this Lady Eunchae business to be over with and for you to have your relationship with Hwayoung fixed. That's all you wanted, but you knew better than to sit around and do nothing. That's not how anything gets done. You'll have to bring Namjoon to face Lady Eunchae to reject the wedding and you'll have to work things out with Hwayoung somehow. Nothing is done magically like that.

You wish.

Except you knew it was better to not wish for such things. It was better to face yours fears, but it was more important to feel the want to face them. Wanting to face Lady Eunchae so you could fix things between Hwayoung and you meant your friendship with Hwayoung was important to you. That's because it was. It's crucial that you regain her trust. Even if you have to build everything from the ground up with her. You're willing to do all that and more because Hwayoung is your best friend. She's a piece of you. If she does truly leave with Seungwon then you don't want to be end on bad terms with her. The idea of living a life where looking back on your friendship with Hwayoung ends bitterly was not one you wanted.

You would rather sigh to yourself and wonder if she would ever come to visit. You would rather sit in the Queen's chamber wondering if she got your letter and knowing that she wouldn't be able to respond back to keep herself hidden. At least if Namjoon didn't release them of their titles. You would help them stay hidden if they needed help. You just wanted Hwayoung to be happy at this point. So what if you're selfish and want to have the King as your own? Namjoon and you are happy together. Seungwon and Hwayoung are happy together so you wish the same for them. To live long happy lives together. That's what fueled you with determination to get up for the day.

Huffing to yourself, you opened your eyes despite not wanting to wake up earlier. It's best to just get this day with Lady Eunchae over with. The faster that this is taken care of, the faster you get to talk to Hwayoung again. Her words from last night were still haunting you. She would be ready to talk about everything again once Namjoon finished ending marriage plans with Lady Eunchae. Though you were trying to convince yourself that you were ready to take on the world, you were nervous and pregnant. You had to lay low today and let the others do most of the protecting.

The other angels were getting up already and Namjoon was stirring. You sat up to get ready for the day, putting on your armor. It hung loosely on you as you placed your hand on your small bump. It wasn't noticeable, so you should be fine. No one will be suspicious. You'll be fine. Nodding to yourself, you buckled the armor and tightened it. Not as much as you used to since you needed it to be comfortable. That should look natural enough for them. It's not like Lady Eunchae or any of her servants knew who you were in the first place. Hopefully they'll never learn who you are.

"Are we ready to continue traveling today?" Solji asked everyone. The rest of angels were nodding even Hwayoung. She appeared solemn to you as always. She already had her mind focused on the task at hand, not giving you a single glance. You should probably do the same for today and put all your attention into this too. There is no time to slip up. You'll be able to speak to Hwayoung once this is all over with.

"I'm ready as I'll ever be." Namjoon stretched his arms above his head. He groaned, still half asleep when he said that. The King yawned which managed to make you smile.

"Alright, then let's go. We'll arrive there by early noon." Solji nodded her head. The rest of the angels bowed to Namjoon before getting in a line order. This was as fancy as all of you could get without the carriage and horses. You stood on the right of Namjoon while Hwayoung took his left. The King only tied the ribbon of his gat, completely unaware of the tension between you and Hwayoung. You sighed heavily, telling yourself to focus on the mission. You meant it this time. If things go wrong then you couldn't have your head in the clouds or be stuck on emotions that can wait. You'll fulfill your duty as guardian angel to the King as best as you can today. You also plan to make sure to perform your other duty as an expecting mother and keep the baby safe. You can't get reckless.

Namjoon spoke to you a bit on the walk to Lady Eunchae. He was mainly trying to fill the silence and you responded as best as you could. Speaking to him made you feel better and a nice distraction, but you have to act as an angel instead of his lover. It didn't take long for Namjoon to realize all of you were behaving differently. For once the angels were quiet. He turned his head, looking at all the girls with stoic faces. All of you walked with the same foot forward and matching each other's pace. The King sighed to himself, knowing that this is what all of you were trained to do. Might as well put on a show for Lady Eunchae. The King straightened his posture, holding his head up as he walked silently with all of you.

This was how it was always meant to be. It felt strange since Namjoon was always awkward or one of the angels wasn't as focused. But as you walked further with the King and guardian angels like this, the more comfortable you felt. Years of training were being put to work. It wasn't the fighting that any of you struggled with. It was always the way the training tried to break you all down to have the same personality. The only reason you believe that failed was because all the former angels left the capital once the former King passed away. Palace guards as well as Solji led the proper etiquette for angels around the King, but it was never enforced as heavily as it was in the past. The unison of all the angels and the silence of the King demanded respect. It would have been an intimidating sight to anyone.

Slowly trees began to lessen and spread out. The path underneath you all was getting flatter with how many people have used it. All of you were getting closer to the town where Lady Eunchae resides. Your fingers twitched, wanting to ball into fists the moment you could see civilization ahead of you. It was finally happening. A moment you've been dreading for months. Buildings became taller the closer all of you got and soon the bustle of life was greeting all your ears. It was almost as busy as the capital yet it surprised you with how unaccustomed you had become to this life. Wagons getting pulled left and right, the sounds of horse's hooves against the dirt, children laughing, and merchants trying to sell their goods. It all felt vaguely familiar like a distant memory. None of the villages in the mountain could ever compare to this. It was overwhelming. You could sympathize with Taehyung now. No wonder he would rather live a peaceful life in the middle of the woods.

The six of you remained still the moment Solji raised her hand in a fist. All of you stomped your right foot together with your left, holding your position as Solji looked around. It wasn't clear from the entrance of the town where exactly Lady Eunchae lived. The eldest walked over to a man pulling a wagon full of cabbages. There must have been a good harvest for cabbage farmers. The man set down his wagon, wiping his forehead as Solji asked for directions. You couldn't hear their conversation with how much noise was coming from the town, but it looked like Solji got the answer she wanted. She nodded at the man who continued walking forward. Solji faced all of you who hadn't moved the entire time she spoke to the stranger. She calmly walked over, looking up at the King.

"The man told me that Lady Eunchae lives on the outer west side of their town," Solji stated.

"Proceed." Namjoon didn't even blink an eye.

Solji bowed before turning forward. Soon all of you were marching forward again with the King. The reactions from the people in the town didn't really surprise you. Some people stopped their wagons entirely and horses came to a halt. Children who were running around and screaming became silent. They stared at the eight of you nervously, looking away as if all of you should have been something to fear. It made you wonder if they would have reacted the same with all the horses and carriage along with wagon. That would have caught everybody's attention straight away. It took some time for people to notice, but you could already hear nosey vendors assuming who all of you were. Either some wealthy nobles or the King had finally arrived to meet Lady Eunchae. Though why would the King be walking?

That part left them hesitant since none of them knew about the thieves. At least that made protecting the King a lot easier. People weren't willing to walk over and ask what this was all about. Solji was doing her best to take all of you through an empty route. The less people crowding around you guys, the more at ease all of you will be. It had you paranoid enough to already have your hand on your scabbard. The smallest sound would probably get you to take it out. The other angels were just as tense on the walk until you began noticing the state of the homes improving. They were getting bigger and looked less run down. This was clearly where the wealthy residents lived.

Solji kept a close eye on all the houses. Each one had a plate placed on top of the entrance stating which household it belonged to along with their family emblem. It would take a while to find Lady Eunchae's home, but to your surprise it was found a lot faster than you wanted. Two large men stood in front of the door with weapons. These must be the guards belonging to the family. Solji read the Kim plaque and took note of the familiar dragon emblem. There was no doubt anymore that this was where Namjoon's cousin stayed. The two guards noticed the eight of you walking closer, placing their own hands on top of their swords. Solji was quick to hold up her identification tag on her belt to their faces.

"I am Heo Solji, leader of the Guardian Angels," Solji spoke firmly. "We have finally arrived with the King to meet Lady Eunchae."

"The King?" A guard raised his brow, looking over at the only male among you. "All of you were supposed to arrive months ago."

"We dealt with thieves and I don't want to deal with any more delay. May we come in already?" Namjoon narrowed his eyes on the two. The two guards were silent, looking all of you over before nodding. They turned to face the doors, opening them wide for the eight of you.

They bowed as Solji walked forward, the first to enter the small courtyard. Namjoon walked forward with the rest of you. Each of you let your eyes wander, examining the area. The place was large compared to most homes though it was no palace. There appeared to be multiple buildings inside these walls, leaving Solji still. It was hard to tell which place would be the right one. Any one of them could be either Lady Eunchae's room or a library. A few servants were walking with buckets full of water or holding bags of rice of their shoulders. Solji kept her eyes on them until she noticed one carrying nothing. She was quick to whistle loudly, catching the attention of the servants. They all glanced over and grew stiff. With how all of you were dressed, none of you were people to ignore.

The eldest motioned with a finger for the empty handed servant to come closer. The rest were free to continue with their tasks. The servant was cowering when coming over to Solji. He looked back at the rest of you, uncomfortable with how none of the angels showed an ounce of emotion. All of your eyes stayed straight forward as if he didn't exist. You were still completely aware of everything going on around you. A lot more than the servant who was nervously glancing everywhere and struggling to make eye contact with Solji. She faced him, requesting to be led over to Lady Eunchae or even the Lord Kim. Any one of them would do.

"M-May I ask what your purpose is in meeting them?" He rubbed his hands anxiously.

"Our arrival is late, but King Kim Namjoon has finally arrived to have an important discussion with her elegance." Solji came across as intense to the servant. He couldn't stop shaking in front of her, nodding his head profusely. Did he even hear her? He kept fumbling around, promising to bring all of you to his Lady. The Lord was apparently out fishing and wouldn't be back until night fall.

The servant hurriedly led the way, bringing all of you further into the land. There were a lot more servants deeper inside who were currently putting up clothes to dry. A few were in the process of making clothes. Their eyes glanced up to see what was going on, but they stayed focused on their work. Soon the servant walked up to a pretty building where a guard stood in front of. This is it. You took in a deep breath, ignoring any type of feelings you felt from this. It was time to act as the King's angel for possibly the last time.

"T-There are visitors here for the Lady," The servant told the guard who looked at all of you.

"What do I announce?" The guard asked.

"Announce that the King and his Guardian Angels who have arrived after much delay," Namjoon said in a powerful tone. Hearing his voice alone made you bubble with pride. The servant nodded before his eyes widened. Now he was stuttering more than before while the guard seemed to turn pale.

"T-T-The K-King!? Oh!" The servant immediately went down on his knees to bow. It was a late reaction that the King couldn't care less about. The guard bowed deeply before pounding his spear against the floor.

"Lady Eunchae, the King and his Guardian Angels have arrived!" The guard announced.

"Let them in," Her voice responded.

Your jaw became tight to hear how soft spoken she was. She already sounded like a delicate butterfly. The door opened wide, allowing the eight of you to enter. Everyone marched forward, but only the angels stopped halfway inside. As soon as Solji stopped, all of you bowed with her meanwhile Namjoon continued to walk forward. He wasn't bowing to anyone here when they weren't of any high status aside from blood and money. He stood there as you began to lift yourself out of the bow. Lady Eunchae had stood up from her seat and was bowing to the King. She had her head down and you were trying your best not to be obvious. You just kept looking at the back of her head. It was tempting to start looking around in her room, but you had to keep yourself together. You looked straightforward with the rest of the angels just as Lady Eunchae looked up to smile at the King.

Lady Eunchae was giving Namjoon the sweetest smile. It was soft and gentle, happy that he finally arrived as promised. She looked like the standard of beauty that most men would imagine if they pictured a beautiful woman. Her skin was pale with some powder on her face and her lips the lightest tint of pink. Her eyes were exactly like Namjoon's, sharp and powerful. Her dimples weren't as prominent compared to her cousin. Lady Eunchae had long dark hair with a majority of it braided over her head like a band while the rest fell down her shoulders. She had small golden earrings, but they were nothing compared to the dragon hairpins placed in her braids. She was proud of her blood. You could see that.

Namjoon only nodded in acknowledgement. He didn't say anything as she patted down her red dress. The top layer was a rose red with a few light pink designs along the collar down the center of her body. The coat underneath was a pale pink that was a lot more simple. Her long pink sleeves had no patterns or designs. Nothing besides a red ring three inches away from the edge of the material. She was practically everything you imagined she would be. Beautiful and elegant. Easily living up to her title of Lady much more than you ever could. But you kept a stoic face as she stared fondly at the man you loved. At your husband.

"It has been so long since we've last seen each other, Great King." Eunchae seemed to speak in smiles. Her girlish charm made you want to grit your teeth. "I apologize that I couldn't come to your coronation."

"It is alright. It all happened so suddenly and it's a month long travel anyway." Namjoon shook his head. "That's not a journey a Lady should take."

"Then what about these lovely ladies you have with you? Angels, are they?" Eunchae giggled towards the end, staring at all of you in interest. Namjoon turned to face you all, a smile finally appearing on his face as he looked at each of you.

"Women, yes. Ladies...not quite." Namjoon chuckled. If any of you could have made a face, seven girls would be glaring at Namjoon right now. "They're trained to act as soldiers for me. They know how to fight and help me with everything."

"I see! That's such an intriguing concept." Eunchae hummed before gasping. "Oh, all of you should sit. I insist!" She went over to sit on her pillow, clapping her hands as a servant bowed. "Please pour us all some tea. They've traveled such a long way."

"Yes, my Lady." They bowed once more before rushing out.

None of you moved besides Namjoon. He walked over to the pillow set out in front of Lady Eunchae. She stared at the rest of you in confusion, wondering if all of you were statues. Once Namjoon sat down and got comfortable, Solji nodded her head. The seven of you walked into a straight line behind the King and sat behind him. Unfortunately it wasn't too comfortable since you each had to sit on your knees on the wooden flooring. Eunchae began to smile once you were all seated, grinning wider the moment the servant came back with others. They rushed in with cups, pouring them quickly and quietly before rushing out. Only one servant stayed behind with more tea to pour just in case.

"Please, get comfortable." Eunchae nodded her head at all of you. Soon her eyes went back over to Namjoon, leaning close as she held her cup. "I was worried for the longest time that something had happen to you. We heard absolutely nothing and months passed!"

"Yes, we unfortunately had thieves take all our belongings. Every single gift we had prepared for you and my samchon was taken with a blink of an eye." Namjoon sighed as Lady Eunchae gasped. She brought a hand up to her lips in shock, staring worriedly at the King with the largest eyes. "But don't stress. We left our belongings unattended so we were all safe thankfully. It only gave us the problem of making the journey painfully longer."

"It's good though that you all managed to arrive safe and healthy." Lady Eunchae put her hands together after setting her cup on a small table. Namjoon nodded, putting his cup on the table. He had barely taken a single sip like the rest of you. The Lady tilted her head at Namjoon, her brows knitting together. "Is something wrong?"

"I actually don't want to waste your time like this anymore." Namjoon put his hands on his knees. Lady Eunchae continued to stay silent, waiting for the King to continue. She looked nervous as the rest of you placed your cups on the ground. The tea was untouched, slowly turning cold as seconds passed. "Eunchae, I do not intend on marrying you. It is best for me to be honest with you like this. Having this long trip here made me realize something." Namjoon nodded to himself. His cousin looked at him with a stiff face.

"Oh...well this is certainly a surprise." Eunchae's laugh was weak as she stared at her lap. Only a second passed before she gave Namjoon a bright smile. "I may not know the exact reason, my King, but I won't question it. I'm sure this decision came with a lot of thinking. You're doing this for our nation, I'm sure."

Namjoon was slightly taken aback by Lady Eunchae's response. It took the rest of you by surprise not that it showed on any of the angel's faces. It felt so strange coming from her. Wouldn't she have wanted to be Queen? There was no anger or even tears from a title that commoners couldn't even dream of having. None of you expected Lady Eunchae to take the news so well. Even after hearing something life changing, she kept her beauty and poise. It almost made you dislike her more. Not that she's done anything wrong to any of you. You still didn't have a solid reason for wanting to glare at her. It made you feel pathetic. If she can let the idea of being Queen go then you should let your frustrations go as well.

"Thank you for your understanding. I didn't want to start any unnecessary issues." Namjoon smiled to her. A light giggle left the Lady as she picked her tea up.

"What is family for, my King?" Eunchae took a sip.

"Now that we've settled that, I'll be off with my angels then. We need to return urgently to our palace." Namjoon stood up as Eunchae stopped drinking her tea. All his angels rose with him, bowing to Eunchae as she stared at all of you in confusion.

"So soon?" Lady Eunchae put her tea down, hurrying to stand up with everyone. "You're not tired from the constant traveling?"

"There really is no time to be tired." Namjoon only shrugged.

"Why not stay here for the night and rest?" Lady Eunchae offered. "It'll be much more comfortable than anything you've experienced these past few months."

"I really don't—"

"Please, I insist! It's been so long since I've seen you, Cousin," Eunchae pleaded. "I want to spend some time catching up. I'll have my servants set up a carriage with supplies and horses for all of you by tomorrow morning."

"You would do that?" Namjoon listened with a small smile. It was a good offer. Getting to know each other in exchange for what the eight of you desperately needed.

"Of course! I should help the King if he needs it." Lady Eunchae snapped her fingers as a servant came near her. "Have rooms set for the King and his angels so they can put their things away." The servant bowed as Eunchae looked back at all of you. "I'd like to speak to you privately, King, if you don't mind. The rest of the angels will be treated to a meal and we'll join them later. How does that sound?" Namjoon had become tense, looking back at the rest of you as if any of you were going to speak.

"Uh...I'm usually never left in private. I always have at least one angel by my side." Namjoon looked at Solji, his eyes jumping over to yours. Was he planning to keep you with him? That wouldn't be the wisest choice seeing as your limited when it comes to fighting. Your eyes immediately went down to the floor, breaking out of the unison the rest of the angels had. Lady Eunchae tilted her head slightly, giving Namjoon a reassuring smile.

"No need to worry at all, my King. My guards will stand outside. I'm sure they're as good as your angels so your safety is guaranteed." Eunchae placed her hand on her chest. Namjoon was hesitant, wanting to look at Solji for what to do next. He didn't have Seungwon to tell him what to do. It wasn't clear on what was a good decision or not. Seeing how generous Eunchae is, Namjoon decided to relax. He took a breath and nodded to her. "Excellent. The angels and you will be led to your rooms then they'll be off at lunch while we share a few minutes."

Lady Eunchae happily returned back to her pillow, allowing all of you to leave. She smiled as she watched you all go until the doors blocked her view of everyone. The angels continued to keep stoic expressions and you did too. That didn't stop you from having your own thoughts on the situation. Kindness and generosity aren't anything to be suspicious of, but it depends on the person. You continued to think back on Lady Eunchae. She barely knew any of you yet she was offering so much. It could be that it was truly to help the King and she a felt a duty towards him as her cousin, but your mind wanted to paint her as someone awful. It wanted to see her as someone twisted inside just so you could feel better about yourself.

She barely knows Namjoon, but you suppose it won't hurt to let them have a moment to talk in privacy. The only reason you didn't like the idea in the first place was because you were jealous. Even now as you watched Namjoon be led to a separate room entirely, you looked over at him with a small frown. Why couldn't his room be closer? You're all meant to protect him. Namjoon glanced over at you, giving you a smile. You were quick to turn away as you used to, turning pink and trying to hide your smile. Namjoon was free though to chuckle and let his smile grow bigger. The servant took him to his room where Namjoon set down his bag that Taehyung gave him before returning back to Lady Eunchae.

The servant leading you guys brought you all to a giant room. They had already set down multiple quilts for the seven of you. All the girls took a sharp inhale, wanting to express their joy at the sight of clean beds. They wouldn't have to be sleeping on dirt tonight. All of them rushed in, choosing their specific bed as they set down their bags. You moved a little more slowly as you carefully put your satchel on top of your chosen quilt. The servant was waiting outside, already listing off the food they had prepared for you girls. The angels were beginning to smile and lose their stoic state at the mention of food aside from Solji and Hwayoung. You looked back over at Hwayoung, seeing her take everything seriously as ever. You should probably do the same. Nodding to yourself, you walked out with the angels and followed the servant who brought you closer to the scent of delicious food.

Everyone was distracted. With the angels being brought to a room full of food, it was hard to think of anything else. Even if a thought were to appear for any of you, it would be about the King and his safety. Namjoon was currently with Lady Eunchae where she promised his safety. None of you really wanted to question his cousin so it was left at that. What none of you thought about was your belongings that were left alone. Servants opened the doors, entering with guards as they searched for everything that you guys were carrying. They dumped out contents from everyone's bag, frustrated to see there was nothing valuable in the room of the angels. That was until they dumped out one bag to see a wooden duck and tiny bottle fall onto the quilt. The guard grabbed the bottle suspiciously before turning their head to see a servant had returned from the King's room. In their hand, a wooden duck.

The King was spending his time with his cousin. Namjoon talked with Lady Eunchae like she wanted. They discussed their childhood as Lady Eunchae recounted the time she visited Namjoon long ago. Namjoon could barely remember, taking her words as the truth. It was in the past anyway so he didn't care too much for it. It felt strange though talking about all these things with Eunchae. The King wondered why he didn't feel comfortable. Lady Eunchae brought up the deaths of his parents along with the pressure of being King. They were serious topics that left him a bit drained, but she was his cousin. They should be able to have close conversations like this. Eunchae even spoke about the death of her own mother to make it fair.

The conversation lasted for over half an hour before there was a knock at her door. At first, Lady Eunchae was going to ignore it until they claimed it was urgent. She sighed heavily and gave the King an apologetic smile. She wanted to be well mannered towards her guest, but business is going to do as it pleased. Luckily, Namjoon didn't mind as he offered to make his way over to the angels for lunch. He'll just wait for Lady Eunchae to join all of them. They'll probably still be eating by the time she comes over. She won't miss anything. Lady Eunchae put a hand on her chest, touched with how considerate the King is being towards her.

"That's very kind of you, my King. That sounds like a great idea." Eunchae waved her hand. "I'll see you all soon then."

"See you then." Namjoon nodded, turning to the servant who was ready to lead him away.

The doors were slowly closed by servants as Lady Eunchae continuously waved with a grin on her face. Her smile was beaming and shining like a white light. Though as the doors were shut and she was left with multiple guards and servants, her cheerful attitude vanished. There was no aura of innocence around the Lady anymore. Instead pure irritation showed on her face as she stared at all the people in the room. She felt like ripping a dragon hairpin out of her hair and stabbing a servant. Her teeth gritted as her face turned red. She tried to stay calm as a guard threw two bags in front of the Lady. Right away, she scoffed and stared at the head guard.

"Do you expect me to open it myself?" She gave him a tight smile. Before the guard could speak, she slammed her hand on the floor. "What the hell are in these bags? What is it?!" Her eyes venomous as she looked at everyone in the room. She had given them the jobs to search when the angels and King were busy off in their rooms. Here was the outcome. "I told you all to search their rooms so I better find out the reason why I'm not becoming Queen from these!"

"You'll see the answer quite easily." The guard crouched down, opening the bag on the left. He slowly took out a wooden duck. A traditional one for weddings. It was the male duck. "This is the King's bag and this one..." He turned to the one on the right, pulling out the matching female duck. "It was found in one of the bags belonging to an angel. We don't know which one."

"Find out! FIND OUT!" Eunchae screamed, grabbing a teacup and flinging it across the room. It hit the wall, shattering upon impact. No one in the room flinched due to growing accustomed to her outbursts.

"That's not all, Lady Eunchae." The guard continued to rummage through the right bag. The one that belonged to the angel. Lady Eunchae didn't see what else could be worth showing to her until the man lifted up a medicine bottle. Her frustrated expression fell as she looked at bottle, confused on what exactly she was seeing.

"What is that?" She took the small bottle into her hands, looking it over.

"It's herbal medicine to stop nausea and vomiting. Typically for expecting mothers," The guard explained. Eunchae froze to hear that leave the guard. Wedding presents and medicine for expecting mothers? Eunchae's grip on the bottle tightened, glaring at the little thing. The King had been gone for months and had a lot of time to 'think'. Now he doesn't want to marry her. She took in a heavy breath, close to growling as she looked up at the guard again.

"So I not only lost the title of Queen to one of those angels, but they're already carrying a _half bred demon!?_ " Lady Eunchae screeched. "No! That is it!" She narrowed her eyes on her head guard, speaking lowly, "Capture them."


	42. In The Next Life

Ch.41

The servant had calmly bowed to the King, turning to bring him over to the angels. Namjoon thought nothing of the situation. He was hungry to eat something seeing as it was past noon already. The idea of food distracted Namjoon as he blindly followed the servant without question. There was no reason for him to question the servant who was only following orders. Nothing had appeared odd to Namjoon since he let his guard down with Lady Eunchae. He felt fine until he finally began to take notice of his surroundings. Lady Eunchae's home wasn't the big compared to his palace to begin with. So how come it felt like they've been walking in circles?

Namjoon furrowed his brows, swearing he's passed that building with the servant already. The angels can't possibly be that far away. He decided to stay silent for a few moments. If the servant decides to circle again then that's when he'll ask about it. The King was waiting as he trailed behind the servant, checking if they would make the same left turn they've been doing repeatedly. Then as expected, the servant turned left. That didn't sit well with Namjoon immediately. Questions appeared in his head as he wondered why the hell was he being led around like this? Why weren't they bringing him over to his angels? What was the point of this 'game'?

The King sighed heavily as he stopped walking. He was getting tired of keeping this up. He knew he wasn't stupid so why bother playing it? The servant walked a few steps forward before noticing that the King had stopped. They almost stumbled over their feet, looking over at Namjoon in nervous surprise. The King glared at the servant, stepping closer at a slow and intimidating pace. Namjoon didn't care about this random servant. If they were purposefully fooling him then he wouldn't hesitate to order Hyojin to end their life. This wasn't funny to him. Just as Namjoon was about to speak, another servant rushed out to whisper something into the other's ear. What's going on? Namjoon paused again, watching the first servant nod to the other.

"What's is this?" Namjoon growled. "I demand to know what's going on!" His voice roared, making both servants take steps back.

"We apologize, but we're just following our Lady's orders." They bowed.

"What?" Namjoon scoffed when he suddenly heard the pounding of multiple feet. The sound was familiar to when his guards were moving hurriedly to another area. It didn't take long for it to click in his head. Namjoon turned around, suddenly swarmed by Eunchae's guards.

It was tempting for the King to curse at the men. What the hell was all this? He couldn't believe they were following Lady Eunchae's orders so loyally. Did they forget who he is? They surrounded him to Namjoon's annoyance. He didn't have a single exit and he couldn't do much against over ten men. They all carried weapons with them compared to him. They're a lot more skilled at fighting than him too. Namjoon didn't even want to test that out. He scoffed, wishing that his angels would come rushing out. They would be able to save him. He needed them. Namjoon gritted his teeth as one guard walked up to him, grabbing his arm.

"Don't touch me!!" Namjoon brought his knee up to push them away. The second he became violent, the rest of the guards rushed to the center. "Who do you all think you are!?" Namjoon yelled as they restrained him. Hands grabbed him tightly, preventing him from even squirming. He was lifted off the ground as they hurried to take him away from the area. "W-Wait!"

Namjoon wanted to thrash his legs and swing his arms. He didn't want to feel as useless as he did. They were holding onto him so tightly. The only thing he could move freely was his neck, but that did him no good. Nothing besides seeing where they were taking him. The King grunted, wanting to fight back as he memorized exactly where they were taking him. He was being brought up a flight of stone steps, much further than where his room to stay was. Namjoon did his best to shout for help. He called for the angels desperately as he was taken against his will. His heart was pounding against his chest, fearing what would happen to him.

He's never had to pour a single cup of tea in his life. Namjoon has lived the easy life with servants always there to help him and guards having eyes on him for his protection. There was none of that for him now as he was suddenly getting carried away by force to who knows where. He was completely unprepared and terrified. He didn't want them doing anything to him. If they're already pulling him away like this then who's to say they care about his title. The men made it in front of a building, opening up the door as Namjoon screamed for help one last time. He tried to let out a strong yell from deep within his chest. He needed the angels desperately.

The guards dropped him on his feet once they stood in the room. They closed the doors, watching the King stumble onto the ground. He was panting and sweating from the nerves. Namjoon's eyes looked around anxiously, his heart racing as he looked for some kind of answer. He needs to escape. He needs to be saved. He needs to do something. Namjoon knew all of that yet he didn't even know where to begin. He was quick to turn around, sitting up as he looked at the large men surrounding him. They stood tall in their armor yet none of their weapons were aimed at Namjoon. They stood around the room as if they were protecting him. It certainly wasn't that way though.

Namjoon stood up in disbelief as he stared at all the guards. They stood just like his own back at the palace. They kept their eyes straight forward without following him even as he walked around the room. He was left uninjured so far, but he didn't know how long that would last. The exit was being blocked by their strongest guard, making Namjoon sigh heavily. His shoulders sank as he felt himself growing furious all over again. None of this was making sense to him! They separated him from his angels and he needed them! The King marched up the guard who was blocking the door, snarling at them.

"Do you know who I am!?" Namjoon had his hands in fists. "Step aside! Now!" But the guard stayed still. They didn't even blink when Namjoon spat in their face. "I am the _King_ of Goguryeo!" Namjoon grabbed onto the man's spear, fighting to rip it out of his arms. The guard wouldn't budge no matter how hard Namjoon pulled. Pure adrenaline and anger was fueling Namjoon as he gave one last harsh tug, ripping the spear away from the man before pointing it towards the guard. "I am leaving this room! This entire place with my angels and none of you are allowed to touch me unless you care to live. Do I make myself clear?"

"Clear as day, but that won't mean they'll listen." A female voice entered the room. Namjoon stiffened as he saw the last person he wanted to see. She stepped out from behind the guard, walking in with a smile on her face. Lady Eunchae was still giving Namjoon a glowing smile of innocence. She was acting as if she had a halo hovering over her head. Namjoon gritted her teeth as she stepped towards him gracefully with her arms behind her back. "They'll keep you safe in here, my King."

"Safe?" Namjoon was quick to scoff. "The only ones meant to protect me here are the angels! They're fated to do so!!"

"Fated?" Eunchae's face twitched. Her happy façade was beginning to crumble before him. "Aren't they just an old pesky tradition?"

"Pesky to you, but important to me. I'm the King in the end so your opinion is utterly worthless." Namjoon growled as she let out a little laugh.

"My...just when I thought you couldn't get any crueler." Eunchae frowned at him. She slowly paced around the room, keeping her hands behind her. Namjoon poked his tongue against the wall of his cheek as he kept an eye on her. "First, you come all this way and late at that just to tell me I'm not going to be Queen? That's ridiculous! Due to the fact that I'm the last female pure blood this family has. The rest are half bred vermins who didn't know how to keep it in the family."

"So, you are upset about not being Queen." Namjoon's grip tightened on the spear. "You reacted too calmly when I told you."

"Oh, but that isn't even the half of it! Oh no, your Majesty!" Eunchae began to cackle like a mad woman. "Believe me, my blood is boiling because I can't become Queen, but do you know what makes me absolutely sick?"

"I don't care to know. I'm leaving and you'll be receiving a punishment the minute I get back to the palace. Good luck fighting off my men." Namjoon pointed his spear at her, ready to hurt Lady Eunchae except that never happened. His arm was twisted quickly causing him to drop the weapon. A guard had randomly come to protect his Lady while she didn't even flinch. Namjoon winced, his arm socket burning as he looked at Lady Eunchae with a deadly look. "You little wench." His words causing her eyes to widen in horror.

"Me? You're calling _me_ a wench?" Lady Eunchae almost screeched. "You've clearly never met a proper lady in your entire life! You don't know class or decency from a woman!"

"I'm going to escape and I'm going to kill you!" Namjoon shouted.

"I'd like to see you try." Eunchae finally brought her hands forward to reveal two wooden ducks. Namjoon's blood turned cold the second she brought them out. It was amusing to her how easy that got him to dial down his anger. A smirk came on her face as she dropped them on the floor. Namjoon was finally kept under control and that almost made her angrier.

"Where'd you get those?" Namjoon asked.

"Where do you think!?" Eunchae stomped her foot. His secrets were known to her and to all her servants. D*mn it.

"Don't you dare touch ANY of them!" Namjoon's face was turning red. He was panicking as he thought of you, unable to fathom what might be occurring to his angels.

"There's only one of them that I want to talk to. Just talk." Eunchae knelt down to tap the female duck. "I hear she has a little duckling on the way." Namjoon swallowed hard, his eyes wide and glued to Eunchae's gaze. She hated the way that he was so attached to this female. Who does she think she is? When she saw all of you, she was surprised with how pretty you all were for female guards yet none of you expressed any emotion. All of you were like statues. But then here's the King of an entire nation, trembling at the idea of his little angel getting harmed. "Which one is it, my King? What's her name?"

"WENCH!" Namjoon jumped to grab Lady Eunchae by the collar of her dress. "All my angels are important and I will not let you get away with this!" Namjoon shook her until the guards pushed him off her. He fell back as Eunchae put her hands on her chest, offended he would treat a lady in such a way. Namjoon didn't see her as a lady though. She was anything, but.

*~*

Something didn't feel right, but you couldn't quite place your finger on it. You just weren't hungry. It felt like you were in a weird daze of some sort. You couldn't focus your attention on anything. Not even with the gamut of food placed in front of you. The servants had left them on the table for all of you to eat until your heart's content. All of you were the guests and some angels accepted it more than others. They were digging in while you looked around the room. You would be caught staring at everything, but the food. It didn't interest you for some reason. That was unfortunate considering you needed a proper meal. The baby would most likely appreciate it.

Though even when you forced yourself to look at the food, nothing felt appetizing. You took the medicine Taehyung gave you earlier in the morning so you at least weren't feeling sick. That felt like the only good thing at the moment. You just couldn't help yourself from worrying about Namjoon. What's he doing with Lady Eunchae? Sighing to yourself, you wanted to stop thinking about them together entirely. Nothing is probably happening and all you're doing is being jealous. For no reason at that. He's married to you already and the two of you are having a baby. That should be enough to make you feel confident so why did you have this strange feeling in the back of your head? What is Fate trying to tell you?

"Aren't you going to eat, (F/n)?" Heeyeon asked, licking her finger. You turned to look at her with pursed lips. If the food wasn't appetizing then Heeyeon's eating habits weren't helping either.

"No thank you. I'm really not that hungry." You shook your head.

"Are you sure?" Solji asked worriedly.

"What about...?" Hyojin looked around the room, but all of you were left alone. There wasn't a single servant or guard left inside. Hyojin remained careful as she placed her hand on her stomach.

"It's fine. Maybe I'll feel more hungry later in the evening." You shrugged, giving them a smile. Albeit a weak one, they took it. The girls were chatting amongst themselves happily. You didn't really want to ruin the mood so you stayed out of it. You weren't hungry and you didn't feel talkative either. Besides worrying about Namjoon, your mind also wonders onto Hwayoung. There were still so many emotions left from the fight hanging in the air. The two of you hadn't ended it which was getting to you. All you wanted was to talk with Hwayoung, but this business with Lady Eunchae has extended by a day. You'd rather sleep on the dirt floor then stay here any longer. You wished Namjoon hadn't accepted to stay here for the night even though that was selfish of you.

Another sigh left you as you looked around the room again. Your eyes wanted to land on Hwayoung who sat on the opposite side of the table at the very far end. The two of you were as far as possible and you hated it. She's your best friend. Everything you said was out of anger and it was wrong. You knew that now. Even if it held some truth to the argument, you didn't care for it anymore. None of what you said meant anything due to the intentions you had behind them. You wanted to hurt Hwayoung and that sickened you. At this point, you didn't care if she held regrets towards her own words or not. You were tired of being separated like this. You had a chance to fix everything and you messed it all up. It's not like Hwayoung was never going to accept it. She was. She just needed time. The two of you need time.

Hwayoung wasn't eating either. She only sat quietly, looking off at the corner of the room. She always tended to do that. Even with a room full of people, she looked alone. The angels were all eating loudly and they all wore the same uniform as Hwayoung, but she had no interest in speaking up. She was fine like this. Hwayoung looked beautiful as she was. Frowning, you looked away in hopes of not getting too gloomy from the situation. You stared off at the table near the doors. On that table was a single flower that sat in a vase. A pink chrysanthemum. It sat all by itself in that vase, but it looked beautiful. Just like Hwayoung. You sighed to yourself until you noticed the vase jump. Furrowing your brows, you saw the vase jump again near the edge of the table. What's going on?

"Guys..." You started as the vase fell over. All the angels turned their heads in the direction of the vase when the doors bursted open. Guards were flooding the room, automatically pulling all of you out of your relaxed states. Each of you were quick to pull out your swords towards the guards. You didn't like this one bit. Your mind immediately went to Namjoon. What's happening to him?

"What's going on here?" Solji questioned.

"Take them." A guard pointed at all of you.

"I think not!" Hyelin kicked a guard back, hitting his neck with her sword still in its scabbard.

"You're free to hurt them if they resist," The guard then added. Your eyes widened, freezing at the situation. It was natural for you to want to fight, but not if you were pregnant. You don't want them just taking you though! You can't be useless! You have to do something!

"We are the King's Guardian Angels!" Hyojin reminded them, fighting off the men who came to her. It didn't take long before a group of them restricted her and removed her weapons. The guards were quickly learning that one man against an angel wouldn't end well. They needed to swarm each of you. It was pure horror to see them roughly grabbing all your fellow angels, hurting them as they stole their weapons. You wanted to fight back so badly. Suddenly, you felt two men grab your arms as they shoved you onto the floor. They wanted to slam your body on the ground, but you resisted to keep yourself on your knees.

"(F/n)!!" Hwayoung was the first to panic. She was immediately shoved down to her own knees as you felt yourself pale. Hwayoung bit her lip as she prayed that she didn't give anything away. The other angels weren't screaming anymore. They weren't fighting back and you wanted to cry. If they somehow found out you're carrying the King's child then it's over for you. For the both of you. You didn't know what any of the guards wanted, but you couldn't stand this.

"Hwayoung!" Solji shouted, moving again as her eyes told the angels to do the same. "Release all of us! We are meant to protect the King and—!"

"Take them away to the cell." The same guard interrupted. You began shaking your head, screaming with the rest of the angels to be released. None of you were silent as they dragged you all out of the building and over to this cell. Their men were struggling to keep the girls under control. If they even loosened their grip just the slightest, they could get taken down by an angel. All of you were putting up more of a fight than they expected. They were annoyed with how much effort it took just to keep any of you still.

"The King wasn't even this hard to keep still." One of them huffed. That's when all of you had enough.

"What did you do with the King!?" Solji yelled, ripping her arm away to punch the guard to her left. She kicked the guard to her right, punching him in the face as well.

"Where is he!?" Jeonghwa slammed one guard into another.

"You will all pay for this!" Hyojin jammed her elbow into a guard's stomach, taking their spear away from them. She didn't hesitate to pierce the man straight through his chest.

"Get ahold of them!" The guards were scrambling to take the weapon away from Hyojin. She managed to kill one of them as Heeyeon used a hidden dagger in her boot to stab a guard in the neck. Not a single angel was going to make their job easy. You weren't either. Roughly shifting your body, you kneed one guard in his private area hard enough for him to let you go. You worked as fast as you could to flip the other guard holding you onto the one grabbing his crotch. They groaned as you tried to run, only to get grabbed by another guard. They wrapped their arm around your neck, holding you tight.

"Move and I'll snap your neck." They threatened. You gritted your teeth as chaos unraveled in the background. Before you could even say anything in return, they fell onto their knees as if someone pushed them down. He released you as you saw Hwayoung quickly twist the man's head, allowing him to fall forward.

"You need to be careful!" Hwayoung whispered.

"I can't just do nothing!" You frowned.

"(F/n), please!" Hwayoung tried taking a step towards you, only for the both of you to get grabbed by new men. The two of you were kicking your legs around as you noticed the other girls had been captured again. They were panting, hair messy and blood already on some of them. More guards were bleeding out on the ground then Eunchae's men would have liked. They underestimated you girls. They made a better effort to bring the seven of you to this cell this time. The sun was starting to set as they brought you over to a lower area in Lady Eunchae's courtyard.

They didn't have that many men keeping watch of you guys. That was one of the few things that left you confident. The men shoved the seven of you into a small clay room, tying the each of you up one by one. The ground was dirt covered with hay and you grimaced, hoping this wouldn't be the last thing you see. The rope around your arms were tight, giving you no mercy as they held you up. The rope hung from the ceiling and were the only thing restricting you guys. Breathing heavily, you held in the urge to scream and shout at Lady Eunchae's guards. They spoke openly in front of you all, smirking as if this was all some joke. It wasn't funny in the slightest. They talked about how Namjoon was being kept safely in a separate room. How dare they capture the King? You were close to seeing red, wanting to kill every single one of them. Gritting your teeth, you kept your head down as your arms slowly got numb from being held above your head. The rope pinched at your skin, scratching anytime you made any kind of movement.

None of you were hurt.

Yet.

You didn't know how long they would spend solely trying to intimidate all of you. It won't be long before one of you dies or all of you leave this world together. It was clear that they were holding all of you here for a specific reason involving the King. Lady Eunchae was written all over this. She wanted to be Queen, didn't she? Is this all her throwing a fit? Again, you felt like screaming but you had to keep yourself together. The way the guards were looking at you guys made you sick. Did they know something? You wanted to cover your stomach, feeling vulnerable. They wanted to know something. That was something you wouldn't allow. It was something the angels wouldn't allow. You could never give it to them. Not with your King taken and held in a different area. Swallowing, you glanced to the side to see your fellow angels. The six of them were tied up in the same position as well, fire in their eyes that was waiting to consume and destroy everything in its path.

There was no mercy in the guard's eyes as they circled around all of you. Even if you held an ounce of worry, it would not be displayed on your face. You've trained all your life to be a guardian angel for the King. Were you meant to fear death now? Despite not having a problem with the idea in the past, now you finally felt some hesitance towards it. The hesitance was towards the baby inside you. You wanted to see them live. They needed to make it out along with the King. Whatever happens to you, so be it. That one guard continued to eye all of you in a way that made you murderous.

Keeping a stoic expression, you had to follow what the others were doing. None of them had fear in their eyes. It wasn't anywhere to be seen. They kept their heads straight forward with their eyes scanning the entire room. A cramped clay room with one small window that had two iron bars in it. There was no door to the room, not even a gate. That could make an escape easier though it was the only entrance and exit to this entire cramped building. Five guards were handling the seven of you in total. Two outside and three inside. One held a torch while the other two were armed and ready if any of you made a move. You kept track of all of them mentally and you were certain the others were on the same page too. You remained calm as one guard held up his sword towards you all.

"Which one of you is it?" He held the blade close to Jeonghwa. She didn't even blink, only glaring at the guard. That alone seemed to add fuel to the guard's impatient. You didn't like the sound of his question. The other girls were trying not to question the guard either. "You?" He stepped to the side, letting the tip of his sword hover close to each angel's neck. Only silence replied to the guard who slowly made his way over to you. The angels had done well in not saying a word and you were prepared to react the same. The guard came to a stop to narrow his eyes on you, looking you over from top to bottom as he brought the blade near your throat. "Or...is it you?"

Nothing left your lips. You were going to stay silent yet you felt it in the air. The rest of the girls grew tense the minute the guard aimed his weapon at you. He could kill you in an instant if he wanted to. You didn't have to say anything for him to make that decision. With your heart pounding inside your chest, you didn't say a word. The guard slowly lowered his sword to aim it towards your stomach, teasing the idea of plunging it straight through your body. You refused to feel lightheaded or show any signs of weakness despite shivers running down your spine. He won't get it out of you nor from any of the angels. He's not going to touch your baby.

"Which one of you is the Queen?"

"What?" Solji scoffed. "Are you f*cking kidding me?"

"We're Guardian Angels!" You growled.

"You all keep saying that yet one of you...must have had a lot of fun with His Majesty." The guard chuckled, shoving his hand inside his shirt. He took out a familiar small bottle that almost got a reaction to leave you. "One of you is pregnant."

"Or feeling a little under the weather," Heeyeon said. "That type of medicine doesn't only have to be used for pregnant women."

"So is it yours then?" The guard tossed the bottle aside, bringing his dagger back over to Heeyeon's stomach. "Because there also happened to be a wooden duck with this medicine." Heeyeon tensed up, wanting to swear under her breath. You didn't want to feel weak. This wasn't your fault...you kept telling yourself that as you pleaded for fate to be kind. There has to be some way you can escape. Some way to save you and the girls. "You don't look that afraid of losing your baby."

"Maybe because I'm not pregnant, you @ss." Heeyeon felt tempted to spit on his frustrating face.

"You know, I could kill all of you. It doesn't really matter who exactly the Queen truly is." The guard shrugged. "I'm only following Lady Eunchae's order to find out who took her rightful place."

"Wench!" Hyelin yelled.

"What?" The guard turned to glare at her. What is she saying? Your heart was pounding as you looked up at your ropes, hoping Hyelin doesn't say anything worse add to the matter. "The last thing we want is for a half breed to become the King! The pure Kim Dynasty is dying!"

"Tragic," Hyelin spoke through gritted teeth. It made no difference to her who the King was as long as they cared for the nation. That was Namjoon. He grew to care about his people and took his responsibility seriously. She had no doubt in her mind that this child you were holding would do an amazing job as well. The guard sneered at her as you leaned closer to Hwayoung, doing your best to pretend you were doing anything suspicious.

"Kick the guard back when he gets close," Your voice below a whisper. Hwayoung's hands turned into fists. You knew that meant that she would listen to you. Licking your upper lip, you watched closely as the guard went around talking again. He was trying to intimidate you all, but with the size of that dagger? He wasn't making any of you tremble any time soon.

Hwayoung waited patiently for him to come closer. Her eyes were narrowed on him intensely, causing him to stop. He looked at her this time from head to toe, sucking in a breath that left you disgusted. You didn't like him staring at Hwayoung in that way. She wasn't a fan either as she curled her knees into her chest, shooting her legs out to kick the man back. He released the dagger which Hwayoung hurriedly picked up with her feet. She held onto it tight as the two guards inside the room marched towards her to take it away. You refused to let that happen as you brought your own legs up to kick a guard in the face. Heeyeon proceeded to do the same on the other side of Hwayoung. That wouldn't keep the men away and Hwayoung knew that.

While you and Heeyeon did your best with just your legs, Hwayoung curled her body forward until she was upside down with the dagger in between her feet. She bit her lip as she carefully tried to keep her balance and cut the rope. She didn't want to move forward too much so she was trying her best, but it was too slow. Heeyeon had kicked one guard straight into the other who was still recovering from your head kick. Those two collapsed on the ground meanwhile the one who Hwayoung initially pushed back was getting on his feet again. He was fuming with pure rage as he stepped over the two guards who couldn't even do their jobs.

"Hwayoung!" Heeyeon warned. Hwayoung had almost no progress and bared herself to risk it all as she tucked herself in tighter before kicking her feet out against the rope. She sliced through it straight away, quick to land on her feet instead of her back. Heeyeon and you sighed in relief as Hwayoung now held the dagger in her hand, the fire in her eyes ready to be unleashed.

She sprang towards the guard, kneeing him in the gut as she stabbed him in the back at the same time. Hwayoung tossed him to the side as another came towards her. She slashed his neck first before grabbing his arm to flip him over. Just as Hwayoung was about to deal with the third one, the other two guards stepped into the room from all the commotion. Hwayoung moved without thinking twice. Plucking the torch away from one of the guards, she swung it against their head hard enough to leave them unconscious. She kicked another away towards the corner as she quickly stabbed the third one approaching her. Hwayoung twisted the knife around before pulling it out to shove it in the last one's chest who she had pushed back earlier. Hwayoung panted as she watched the man stumble back, his hands reaching towards the dagger but she struck him where it was fatal. All the men in the clay room were either dead or unconscious. Hwayoung nodded to herself, grabbing a spear from the ground and using it to free her fellow angels as she held a torch.

"Five men against Hwayoung!" Hyelin whistled. "That was amazing!"

"I'm impressed too." Hyojin smirked. "That looked like a lot of fun."

"It was." Hwayoung chuckled, freeing all of you. All the angels rubbed their wrists as they looked at the guards on the ground. "Stressful, but fun."

"We need to fight as hard as you did." Solji nodded, crouching down near a guard. All of you were taking every weapon possible from them. Whether they carried a spear, a dagger, or even a sword. A sword was preferable, but you figure you could get that along the way. Though it would be a bit of a struggle getting that off a guard with the weapons all of you currently had. They would do you guys no good. You missed your own weapons. That's when a thought occurred to you.

"Do you think our swords are still in the room where we were eating?" You asked.

"Possibly." Heeyeon held onto a spear, frowning at it. "I'd much rather use a sword."

"Me too. It's worth checking." Hwayoung stared out the open door of the clay cell. The moment the seven of you walk out, you could all be surrounded. There's no way Lady Eunchae has as many men as Namjoon does so it should be possible. All of you wanted to just go for it. There was no plan you guys had and there was no time to sit and create one. The King was being held somewhere and you all needed to find him first then escape.

"I'll lead." Solji stepped towards the open frame, looking out before motioning all of you to follow. Hwayoung tossed the torch onto the hay where all the guards laid. All of you needed to move in the dark without being seen. Plus, a fire might be a good distraction for you guys.

*~*

Namjoon had been sitting in the room, his jaw tight for what felt like hours. He might have been staring at the wall and the guards. Trying to glare a hole or imagining how he would make his violent fantasies come to life, but Namjoon was doing a little more than that. The King knew he was surrounded, but that didn't mean he couldn't escape on his own. He needed to come up with a plan. Namjoon is an intelligent man so he's bound to come up with at least something. He realized the guards weren't going to hurt him, but they definitely would restrict him. He needs to get out without any of them grouping up to grab him. The King sighed as Lady Eunchae tilted her head at him curiously. She had been in the room with him this entire time. She was just a waste of air in Namjoon's opinion.

"What's with that look?" Eunchae raised a brow. "Have you finally given up?"

"Is that what you want?" Namjoon blinked at her.

"You might as well." Eunchae wanted to bite his head off. "It's been hours and they haven't come here to save you. They might as well all be dead—"

"You shut your mouth!" Namjoon roared. Lady Eunchae didn't flinch but smirked slightly.

"So protective over them." She hummed. "I'll ask again. Which. One?"

"Does it really upset you that another woman could be more beautiful and desirable than you? Because if so, I have news for you." Namjoon stood up as Eunchae gritted her teeth. She charged at Namjoon with a small fist. She wouldn't be able to do a d*mn thing. She was weak. The King liked his women tough and strong. He liked it when they were loving and kind. He only had eyes for you.

Namjoon pretended to raise his own hand towards Eunchae, earning a response from a guard. They marched over with their spear like Namjoon wanted. As they came over, Namjoon suddenly shifted on his feet to swing his arm against the guard's face. He may not be the best fighter, but he still took some lessons when he was a teen. Namjoon did his best as he grabbed onto the spear, holding it tightly as he kicked the guard back roughly. The spear was finally his which got the guards to become alert. They were about to run over to unarm him until Namjoon grabbed Lady Eunchae. She yelped as he held her tight, bringing the blade of the spear near her cheek. Eunchae was gasping as she looked at the guard's for help. The King finally had the upper hand in this and it tasted so sweet.

"You will all let me leave and not bother the both of us," Namjoon stated slowly for the guards to understand. Eunchae was smacking Namjoon's arm around her neck, attempting to pry him off to no avail. Anything she did was futile seeing as she had no strength. She was as weak as a twig. A guard took a step forward only for Namjoon to make a deep cut in Eunchae's cheek.

"AAAH! YOU!" Eunchae cried out, beginning to sob at the pain. She would be left with a memorable scar from this experience. It also threatened the guards that if they took any steps forward, the King wouldn't hesitate to kill their Lady. At that point, they had no pure blood to make Queen. All their fighting would become pointless. They might as well kill the King too so that's why Namjoon was walking the line carefully.

Eunchae wouldn't stop sobbing and squirming as Namjoon took slow steps towards the door. He made sure the guards didn't move. They were still and Namjoon felt relieved to see there were no guards outside. Her men were numbered, so Namjoon felt luck in that. She didn't have anywhere near the amount of guards he had back at the palace. It was possible for all of them to make it out alive. He can do this. Namjoon's heart was pounding as he roughly brought Eunchae down the stairs with him. She kept shouting to be let go of, being a pain to his ears. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, Namjoon shoved Eunchae onto the ground without a care.

"How dare you treat me like that!?" Eunchae brought a hand up to her cheek, shaking to see the amount of blood that covered her pale skin. The contrast was close to making her faint.

"Thoughtless wench. You're not worthy of becoming Queen," Namjoon spoke bitterly as he ran off with the spear. He didn't care to have a conversation with his cousin. He didn't care for any of her reasoning. He just needed to find all his angels safe and get out of here. He was doing good so far. "I can do this. I can do this." He repeated to himself.

"G-Guards! After the King!" Eunchae pointed towards his running figure, screeching with her sobs.

*~*

The sounds of running guards seemed to echo through the night. It left you paranoid as you stood in the dark room where you had last stood before they took you all to the cell. The angels were able to get all their weapons back. These guards were careless. They didn't properly confiscate anything, but you were grateful for their mistakes. The seven of you wanted to sigh in relief when Solji opened the door to reveal all your weapons had stayed put. You've never been this happy to see your sword. It put you at ease and the angels all felt the same way. Now that you guys were equipped again, it was time to go out and find the King. He could be anywhere, but you were all his guardian angels for a reason. Fate would lead you to him.

You all stood still as a couple men marched past the room. Their shadows were visible due to one of them carrying a torch. They were charging in the direction of the clay cell that was probably in smoke by now. The slide doors were made out of thin paper, so you were silent with the rest of the angels. Jeonghwa stood the closest to the door since she knew when it would be best to come out. This is when her stealth truly came in handy for the rest of you as well. Jeonghwa was listening in as you took a step back, hearing the sound of something mush underneath you. Looking down, you realized you had stepped on the fallen flower that still laid in its puddle. You stepped out of it and looked up to hear Jeonghwa's voice in a low whisper.

"Now."

She opened the door swiftly, the seven of you running out low and in a straight line. Namjoon had to be around here somewhere. You were desperate to find him, but so were the others. The King was on everyone's mind. This was what their training was meant for. You're all meant to protect him and keep him safe. Though you all failed in the beginning by leaving him alone, that wouldn't be the case any longer. The angels weren't bothering to wear stoic expressions. They showed their anger and desperation as you all stayed in the dark. Footsteps were kept as muted as possible even as you all ran towards the courtyard of Lady Eunchae's home.

It was the largest open space she had and it was the closest exit that you were all familiar with. That meant that Namjoon might possibly come here if he managed to escape. Even if he was still locked up wherever he was, the seven of you would save him. You just hoped that he was left unharmed. The idea of them leaving a little scratch made you furious as well as panic. You wanted to be there for him. All of you were scrambling, making it to the courtyard only to be met with more guards. This is not what you wanted at all. Each of you pulled out your swords, ready to cause a blood bath at Lady Eunchae's home. You ignored the worried look Hwayoung gave you. She didn't want you to fight, but you needed to.

"Kill them!" Solji shouted as all of you ran forward.

The battle was proving to be a bloody one. The guards were nowhere near as trained as you guys. It also didn't help that some of them only had spears. The ones with those weapons were the first to get killed. Men were spitting out blood left and right. Open wounds were made in seconds. Hyojin used strong force to cut heads off guards as Solji chose to cut off entire limbs. She went with arms just like Heeyeon. They'll bleed to death eventually. Then there was Hyelin and Jeonghwa who preferred to leave deep cuts over their torso. You went for deep cuts on their neck instead just like Hwayoung.

The men were barely putting up a fight besides the ones who carried actual swords. Those ones were to be feared. They made fighting a lot more dangerous and worrisome. Heeyeon was in an equal fight when the edge of his blade cut her shoulder. She hissed, more determined to kill him. Heeyeon wasn't the only one to struggle against a guard. Jeonghwa kept taking steps backwards with how quick a guard was. He was leaving her cornered until Hyojin cut his head off. All of you were growing tired from the nonstop fighting. There were only seven of you while probably fifty of them. A lot of them have been taken care of, but you knew the rest of those fifty were about to come out in a second wave. You were panting with so much blood on you.

"This is ridiculous." You looked at the others.

"We can't get distracted." Heeyeon gripped her shoulder, trying not to think about it too much.

"We have to keep going." Solji nodded her head.

"There seems to be more of them from the sound of it." Hyojin cussed at the sound of guards shouting.

"We can't get a break." Jeonghwa sighed, holding her sword tightly.

"We will once we kill them all." Hyelin took a strong stance.

"And we will." Hwayoung narrowed her eyes at the new men who were coming forward. Just as all of you were getting rid of the new wave of guards, a panicked man ran down the steps to face the courtyard. He finally made it and wanted to smile to see the angels. He couldn't let out a sigh of relief just yet, but he certainly felt reassured now.

"Angels!" The King's familiar voice shouted. All of you killed and pushed guards away, searching for the direction of that voice. The owner of it repeated their words when each of you spotted Namjoon. He was coming down steps to reach the courtyard, fighting off guards with a spear. He stabbed and knocked them down as he tried to make his way towards you all. Seeing Namjoon's face light up when the two of you made eye contact, you felt yourself lose it. You'll help protect him.

"Namjoon!" You began running from all the way across the courtyard. That's when Lady Eunchae arrived at the top of the steps, her eyes landing on you as you took down her guards to reach Namjoon.

"(F/n)!" Namjoon looked fearful now. You said his name in front of everybody. D*mn it. You'll just have to fight harder.

"It's her! That one! Kill her!" Eunchae screamed as guards tried to move in your direction. Her eyes burned, wishing you died just from her stare alone. Now guards had their attention on you as you tried to remain calm.

A majority of them were getting slaughtered by your fellow angels. They wouldn't dare let anyone touch the Queen who carried the future heir to the throne. But most importantly, they wouldn't let their friend get hurt. Guards were struggling to make their way over to you as angels blocked them. They would have to deal with those angels first before they even got to you. They're all so amazing. You were grateful even when only one guard managed to slip through the cracks. He came out you suddenly, but you were quick to defend yourself. The pressure of both your blades was getting tiring and you knew that's what he wanted. He wouldn't get any of that from you.

"Kill her! She doesn't deserve to be Queen!" Lady Eunchae was stomping her feet as if that would make the guard automatically win. You were doing your best to push him back, but he caught you when you left too much open space. His blade slashed against your bicep causing you to stumble back and lose grip of your sword. D*mn it, no!

"(F/n)!!" Namjoon called out desperately. Hyelin and Jeonghwa were already by his side, fending off any guards. Their numbers were falling though. Gritting your teeth, you could sense the guard about to swing his sword down on you when another blade got in the way. The clang rang through your ears as you saw Hwayoung begin to protect you.

"She deserves to be Queen more than anyone in the world!" Hwayoung's sword movements were rough, pushing the man back without giving him a moment to think. As soon as Hwayoung got a free chance, she took it. She let her blade slash against his neck and watched him stumble. "Long live the Queen!"

"Hwayoung..." You let out a breath as she turned her head over her shoulder to look back at you with a smile. Though as she gave you that look of forgiveness, your eyes widened as Hwayoung was pierced straight through her stomach by the guard she had protected you from. Hwayoung gasped as an involuntary shriek escaped you. Her eyes were wide, the taste of blood entering her mouth. "N-No...No! No! Hwayoung!!" You screamed as the guard pulled his sword out, collapsing on the ground finally just as Hwayoung fell into your own arms. "H-H-Hwayoung, no, no, no. Please stay with me." You held her, looking at her face to see her becoming pale.

"(F-F/n)..." Hwayoung was having trouble breathing. She was bleeding too fast and you were all over the place. It was hard to think as you looked at her face. This isn't how things were supposed to go. This wasn't fair! The rest of the angels finished off all of Eunchae's guards, but you couldn't care less about that. Hwayoung was staring at you as if all her strength had left her body. You couldn't physically feel anything to see her looking like this. She's a strong and powerful woman and to then have her in your arms like this wasn't real. Don't be real. Screaming over your friend, a few angels turned their heads to see the horrific sight. The first to move were your leader and King. Solji rushed over with Namjoon, already making calls on how to help Hwayoung. The King allowed her to rip his hanbok as Solji attempted to make a large bandage wrap around Hwayoung's waist. She made it as tight as she could, but her blood was easily soaking through the fabric.

"I can't do much else..." Solji looked at the King. What is she saying? Save her!

"We have to get out of here. Bring her with us!" Namjoon shouted as Hyojin and Heeyeon rushed to grab Hwayoung out of your arms. You were trembling, begging to help carry your best friend. You could barely speak as Namjoon pulled you up from the ground, tugging you out of Lady Eunchae's home. Lady Eunchae couldn't do anything as she yelled at all of you from the top of the stairs. A bloody massacre had occurred on her courtyard. You didn't want Hwayoung to be one of the casualties.

Namjoon kept telling you to breathe as the eight of you ran far from Lady Eunchae's home. The wealthy homes began to get smaller in the distance. Rushing through empty streets at the dead of night that were once filled with bustling life earlier this morning. Everyone was heading back towards the woods in the same path that you all came from. You all needed to run as much as possible to not get caught, but you believed you were all free from them now. The only thing on your mind was Hwayoung. She laid in Heeyeon and Hyojin's arms, her blood getting onto them. Only more tears escaped you to see Hwayoung fighting to hold on.

"P-Put me down," Hwayoung looked at Hyojin, her vision getting fuzzy every few seconds. Hyojin and Heeyeon slowed down to your dismay, carefully lowering Hwayoung onto the ground. You were shaking your head as they rested her up against a tree.

"What is this? What are you doing!?" You shouted at your unnies. They only stood by, circling around Hwayoung as you fell onto your knees. None of them spoke. That didn't mean they didn't share the same pain as you. If they shared the same pain though then why were they leaving her here!? It wasn't right. You crawled to Hwayoung, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. "Hwayoung, please. W-We can heal you! W-We just need to reach Taehyung and m-maybe—"

"(F/n), no...l-listen to me." Hwayoung swallowed. She stared at you calmly with a smile. No. Stop that. Why are you smiling? Tears were building up so fast as you stared at her. "I'm s-sorry for everything I-I said...it-it doesn't mat-matter in the end..."

"I forgive you! I forgive you! I have ever since the fight ended!" You brought her hand up to your chest, rocking yourself. You weren't prepared at all for this. This wasn't supposed to happen. This felt so wrong. This couldn't be what Fate wanted. It was tearing you apart. "I-I'm sorry too for everything I said! I shouldn't have said that and I hate myself for hurting you!"

"I know...and I f-forgive you..." Hwayoung used every bit of strength to bring her hand up to her hair. You sniffled in confusion until you saw her take out her hairpin. She weakly handed it to you for some reason as you stared at her in shock.

"H-Hwayoung, no!" You shook your head.

"I...I still love Seungwon very much." Hwayoung finally began to cry. The pain was getting to her and she knew she didn't have much time left. The other angels were silent even as they grew confused. "G-Give this back to him. I-It's something f-from me. M-M-Maybe we'll ha-have better luck in the next l-life..."

"This life! This life! Stop saying all those things!" You begged, clutching the flower hairpin tightly. This hairpin belongs to her and no one else. Why is she giving it to you? "Hwayoung, please hang on! I-I'm supposed to be at your wedding! O-Ours kids are going to be b-best friends too!"

"(F/n)...it's okay." Hwayoung weakly squeezed your hand.

"No, it's not!" You refused to believe it. You were in denial, shaking your head at her.

"M-My fate was meant t-to protect the K-King and you...I d-did well." Hwayoung smiled through her tears.

"We're meant to be angels together until the end! Don't talk like that!" You continued to rock yourself, shoulders bouncing. Your entire body was aching to see her like this. Hwayoung felt a cold shiver from the night consuming her body. It won't be long. Your body was hunched as you held her hand and hairpin, rocking yourself for comfort.

"Don't cry," Hwayoung said softly. You raised your head to look at her peaceful smile when you felt her grip on your hand loosen. No. The life in her eyes was gone. There was no fire anymore. They were a dull and foggy brown as she stared off at nothing. Her body laid there as you couldn't stop shaking.

"E-Even if you tell me not to..." You tried to speak, but it was near impossible as you broke out into a heavy sob. You couldn't stop screaming over the death of your friend. Emotions took over as you pulled her limp body towards your arms. Nothing felt real as you hugged her body, not caring if her blood got onto you. She meant everything to you. There were still so many things you wanted to do with her. You didn't want to let her body go even when Solji was pleading you to leave Hwayoung to rest. The other angels were crying silently, staring as you completely broke down in front of them. You felt completely empty. A broken shell...there was no fighting spirit in you anymore. This journey was a complete disaster. You should have fought harder and then she wouldn't have been killed. "It's my fault. It's my f-fault!! I'm so sorry, Hwayoung..."

"(F/n), please take a minute to breathe. Think about the baby." Solji warned as you held Hwayoung tighter. You sobbed into her shoulder, wanting to be left alone. The angels looked over at Namjoon who was also hit emotionally. He may have had a competitive friendship with Hwayoung that involved a lot of teasing, but he did care for her. The feeling was mutual. He lost a friend too. Namjoon never knew losing an angel would be this painful. Especially a shadow. What is he going to tell Seungwon? Namjoon swallowed as he took a step towards you.

"(F/n)...I hate this too, but...we have to go." Namjoon placed his hand on your shoulder. He was right and you knew it, but you didn't want to listen. Namjoon crouched down to remove you from Hwayoung. You couldn't stop looking at her. Peaceful. You only began to cry harder again, thrashing your legs only for Namjoon to lock you into a tight embrace. "Bury her, please."

"No! N-Namjoon!" You pounded your fists against his chest desperately. The moment even a speck of dirt lands on her cheek then this becomes real. You don't want it to be real. Namjoon scrunched his face with every hit but kept you tight against his chest. You continued to sob until you felt weak and lightheaded. Namjoon sniffled above you, a tear rolling down his cheek as he nodded to the other angels.

"One last final bow...and then we go." Namjoon turned you around as you faced a pile of dirt. Hwayoung was nowhere to be seen as all the angels wiped their tears with dirty hands. Namjoon helped hold you, bringing you down gently to bow with the rest of them. You stayed in your grieving bow the longest before looking up to stare at her grave again.

"May flowers bloom where you rest, beautiful Hwayoung." You tried to smile for her. For no one else, but her. "We'll get a happier ending in the next life. I promise..." You blinked repeatedly, but that didn't help as tears fell anyway.

"Ready to go?" Namjoon held his hand out towards you. His eyes were red, but he was being strong for you. The other angels were as well. They put their mourning on hold for you and it made guilt rest against your shoulders. You can't stay here forever. Even if you wanted to.

"I'm ready..." You stared blankly at Hwayoung's grave before taking Namjoon's hand to walk away with the angels in the night.


	43. Happy

Ch.42

You never felt more conflicted in your entire life. The loss of Hwayoung hadn't fully set in and you clearly haven't moved on. Her death left you an empty shell. It felt impossible to even smile or look at things on the bright side. There was no bright side. All you wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry. Nothing felt worth it anymore, but you knew Hwayoung would give you a little glaring look for thinking this way. You're still alive so why are you acting dead? It couldn't be helped. Each of your movements were slow and the others had to move at your pace. They were doing their best for you even if that meant acting careful around you. You don't know why they weren't acting the same as you.

So many emotional outbursts left you that you felt drained. Namjoon would hold you, giving you something to lean on. You were a just a walking disaster at this point. The angels let you be that way yet they were holding back tears of their own. They were back to acting as strict angels for the King which you couldn't stand. Why weren't they crying like you? How could they go back as if everything were normal!? It wasn't normal. You would look around and count six angels in total. That was wrong. It felt so wrong. Not having Hwayoung around made you panic to the point where you felt delirious. You wanted to go back after her in hopes that she'd be walking around. She'd huff about all of you forgetting about her, but that wasn't true. Namjoon had the angels bury her.

It had been thirty minutes since you last cried and now more tears were coming. Bringing your hands up to your mouth, your face was turning red again. You were quick to lean towards Namjoon for comfort. He at least could show his emotions. He wasn't hiding them to necessarily make you feel better. Namjoon was only trying to find the right moments to express them but would cry with you when needed. He was mainly doing his best to keep you walking forward. He would try to get you to calm down so there were no tears anymore. He never once told you to stop crying already. He waited for you to feel somewhat okay before you needed the help again.

Namjoon kissed your head, noticing how tightly you had been gripping Hwayoung's hairpin. You hadn't released it from your hold since the moment she gave it to you. Other angels offered to hold it for you, but you refused to let them even touch it. Namjoon asked if he was also included in that and unfortunately, he was. No one was allowed to touch or hold Hwayoung's hairpin. No one, but you and Seungwon. Only Seungwon will be able to hold this when you return it to him. A few more tears trickled down your face as you thought of Seungwon. What are you guys going to say to him? It only caused your heart to ache more.

"Poor Seungwon..." You frowned as Namjoon held you tighter.

"I know." Namjoon let out a sigh. "We need to make it back home as fast as we can. He should know."

"He loved her more than anything..." You turned the hairpin over in your hand. It was a beautiful piece. Perfect for Hwayoung. Gold until it reached the petals of the flower. That's when it was left in two different shades of pink. One lighter than the other. There was a single thin dangling gold chain on the hairpin that had a small pink flower gem at the end. He put so much thought into getting this for her. You still remember how happy she was when she first wore it around you. She was glowing. How could a glowing light like her be suddenly put out? It made no sense. She was breathing and now it was over? "I miss Hwayoung..."

"I know you do. I miss her a lot too." Namjoon cleared his throat, resting his head against yours. You stared at the hairpin as if you were left in a trance. It was probably the only thing that could remind you of everything around you. It was Hwayoung telling you to think about your baby instead. Telling you to think about Namjoon. About the other angels who were still with you. You were doing your best for her. It was just really hard at times.

"I want to rest." You took in a deep breath, taking a step away from Namjoon. You were quick to regret that with how warm he felt. He was comforting and you needed that desperately. Though you knew he needed to heal too. You weren't the only one suffering even though it felt like it.

"Are you sure? We're so close to finding Taehyung—" Namjoon started as you shook your head. You just needed him to listen to you. Namjoon became silent as he watched you go near a tree to sit down next to it. You had crawled down to it, sitting on the roots and leaning against the large trunk. All you needed was for a moment to catch your breath. It's been hours, but everything felt like it was happening so fast. Your memories were muddled together. You couldn't tell exactly what was what. Namjoon looked back at the other angels who came to a halt, nodding quietly at them. If you needed a minute to rest then he would let you. He would join you.

All the angels sat down with you. They didn't go near you or the King, but they stayed nearby. Their eyes were still red from their own mourning. You could see it even if they were acting as if everything was fine. It made you upset, but they were only performing their duty. A guard has no time to mourn when the mission isn't over. They still had to take the King back to the palace in one piece. So far your job as angel was done. You played the part in front of Lady Eunchae even if you failed miserably towards the end. The deed was done and now you were allowed to just be yourself. You could be the truth. The King's lover, his Queen. The mother of his unborn child. Sniffling, you placed your hand on the small bump hiding under your armor. This little guy also kept you sane when you needed it.

You took steady breaths in order to ease yourself. With everything feeling grey and gloomy, it never felt like you were breathing proper air. Something filled your lungs, but it only hurt your chest. It made it hard to breathe instead. You've never felt such a pain in your entire life. It didn't matter to you when your parents left you. It felt like a wave of relief when they were gone. No more bruises from your father or scolding's from your mother about being an angel. That had left you in peace. The only things that hurt you were when the former Queen died. When Namjoon lashed out at you from when he used to hate you. When Happy was stolen from you. Rejecting Namjoon over and over hurt. Then the fight with Hwayoung. All of those hurt, but nowhere near as much as this.

You were too young to understand the former King's death. There wasn't much attachment towards him. You didn't see him the same way Namjoon did. It was more of Namjoon's pain at the time that made you cry. Then when the former Queen died, you felt as if all the air left you. Seeing her die in front of you was shocking. It was the first time you ever saw someone die in front of you...peacefully at that. You were so used to seeing people struggle for their last breath, screaming or dying instantly as they let out a pool of blood. That was always what you envisioned when you thought of death. Seeing that peaceful death left you hurt and now with Hwayoung...shouldn't you be glad that she's somewhere more peaceful? But how could you be sure? You wanted to know where she was. You wanted her back. Again, you were back to shaking as you held her hairpin in your hand.

Would you ever be able to move on?

Just as you were feeling tempted to cry all over again, a rustle of bushes snapped you out of your state. What's going on? Wiping your nose with your sleeve, you were more startled than the others. They looked up at you in confusion to see you jumping around. All their brows furrowed when they noticed the way you were standing. Your stances were ready to fight yet they didn't feel threatened in the slightest bit. Solji didn't like the way your hand was hovering over your belt, ready to take out your sword at any given second. Namjoon was confused too as he looked around. You shouldn't be wielding a sword anymore yet here you were.

With the state you were in, fighting probably wasn't the best idea. You were completely out of it as you checked your surroundings. It was already morning and all of you have been walking since Hwayoung was buried meaning none of you had any sleep. You were exhausted and trembling as you heard a faint tapping sound. Someone else was out here yet you knew it wasn't Taehyung. He would never leave his house. He was still a fair distance away. Were you guys being followed? Anxiously trying to find the source of the sound, Hyojin got up on her feet to walk over to you. She approached you carefully, hoping you didn't pull out your sword with how you were acting.

"(F/n), I need you to relax." Hyojin tried reaching for your scabbard, only to get pushed back by you.

"N-No! Someone is out there!" You removed your scabbard from your belt, holding it close. You wouldn't let them take it away from you. Shaking your head, you swallowed as you looked back in the direction you heard the sounds from.

"Why do you think someone is out there?" Namjoon stood up, standing behind you as you took a few steps back. You were taking steps back towards the direction you guys were leaving. Taehyung's house was the other direction so that helped you know it wasn't him. Was it Lady Eunchae with more men? Your eyes were wide, prepared to take out your sword.

The rest of the angels looked far in the distance where you were looking. They narrowed their eyes, trying to listen in to what was bothering you. That's when all of you saw something. It looked like a horse was pulling a wagon. It was walking at calm pace which made you relax a bit. The horse wasn't rushing over and you doubt Lady Eunchae would have her men be brought on a wagon. Sighing heavily, you began to see two men sitting on the edge of the wagon while the horse pulled it. They're nothing, but commoners. They didn't appear to have any weapons nor were their clothes anything of high status. So, you were panicking over nothing? You blinked and wiped your eyes as the angels sighed around you.

"See (F/n), it's nothing to worry about," Hyelin said.

"You just need some sleep," Heeyeon stated. "We all do."

"We'll get sleep when we arrive at Taehyung's." Solji nodded as she looked over at your tired form. You kept your gaze on the commoners, not knowing what to think. It really wasn't anything? You slowly put your scabbard back on your belt.

"We'll get to see Taehyung and rest. Doesn't that sound good, Unnie?" Jeonghwa asked as you completely ignored her. She made her best attempt at a smile only to frown when you didn't respond. You were too caught up on something else.

Tilting your head, you narrowed your eyes on those strangers. They weren't familiar in the least bit. They were random people yet the horse caught your attention. It was a tall, majestic creature that was making its way over in cheerful strides. It was too far to see directly in its eyes, but something about it made your heart tighten. Your chest began to hurt. Taking a step forward, you could hear Namjoon call your name. You weren't listening to any of them. They were all muted as you focused on that familiar brown horse. It was pulling the wagon without a care in the world. It let out a familiar neigh, shaking its head and fluttering its ears. A gasp left your lips as you began running towards the horse. Everyone reached out towards you, chasing after you in confusion.

"Happy!!" You forced your legs to move as fast as you could, your body hating you for making it work on such low energy. You didn't care. That was your horse!

Happy seemed to hear you as it picked up its pace, pulling the wagon faster. You could finally feel yourself smiling as you went to the horse. Seeing him again was making your heart race. The two men on the wagon were baffled as Happy moved quicker than they would have liked. One clutched onto the reins while the other held onto the wooden wagon in panic. They were shouting at the horse to stop while you kept calling for Happy. The angels were all lost at why you were shouting an emotion except for the King. Namjoon ran with the angels, his brows raised as they came closer. Happy slowed down as he came to stop and you did too. It was him. It was actually him! Placing your hands on Happy's face, the two of you pressed your heads together.

"Happy, it's you!" You pet him as the two men on the wagon felt dizzy. They sighed, collecting themselves as you felt a little better. You took a step back as Happy went on his hind legs to let out a loud whiny.

"Is that really Happy?" Namjoon panted.

"She named her horse?" Solji asked, all of them circled around you. They were still five feet away as you bonded with your horse. Happy was making his little noises, his ears cutely moving every time you showed him affection.

"Ah, who are you?" One of the men frowned. He was holding onto the reins, staring at all of you in the slightest bit of annoyance.

"Dumb horse," The other grumbled. He was rubbing his neck as you quit playing with Happy. The second those words left him, you froze to look at him with a burning glare. His eyes soon shifted over to yours in confusion.

"What did you just call him?" You were quick to unsheathe your sword. The angels and Namjoon whispered your name. They wanted you to stop, but you didn't plan on listening to them. How dare he call Happy such a thing? Having the sword point at him made him finally reassess the situation. His eyes widened to see the blade so close to him. He leaned back along with his friend, the two horribly frightened as you began to think.

Why the hell do they have Happy in the first place?

Narrowing your eyes on these men, you kept your sword pointed at them. You didn't want to be interrupted by anyone. You needed a moment to think. Letting your eyes wander to the wagon that they were riding in, it looked vaguely familiar. If you imagined it full of expensive presents for Lady Eunchae then things wouldn't look good for these two men. They were already gulping and sweating the moment they noticed the other women with you had weapons. It didn't help that all of you had dry blood on your uniforms and skin. A majority of it wasn't any of your blood though so they didn't have to worry. The bleeding on your bicep had stopped just like Heeyeon's shoulder cut. Turning your head, you looked back over at Happy to examine him. It looked like he had been well fed and taken care of.

At least they took care of Happy well. The only problem now was that you didn't care too much for who they were or their reasoning. These two men caused your heart to break. You lost a friend when they took Happy away. Now you finally had Happy back, but you were still one friend down. And this time you couldn't get that friend back. Gritting your teeth, you looked back at these men angrily. Did they believe their actions would come with no consequences? Fate put them in your path to suffer so you'll take advantage of this moment. You stepped closer as they grabbed each other desperately, screaming as you kept your sword near them.

"Get off the wagon! Now!" You shouted. The two nodded without question, jumping off at your demand. It would have made you laugh with how eager they were, but you weren't in the mood. All of your friends remained silent as they watched you stand in front of the two men. "Down on your knees."

"O-Our knees?" The smaller one squeaked.

"KNEES!" You yelled.

"Yes! Yes! Anything you say!" The other shoved his friend down, the two listening to your every word. They were trembling in fear as you stared down at them. Holding up your sword, you brought the tip near their necks. It hovered nearby for them to see perfectly.

"How did you get Happy?" You growled.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about. W-We've always owned this horse." The older tried to give you a convincing smile. It wasn't really working seeing as you brought your sword next to his throat. That made the younger panic right away.

"W-We stole t-the horse! The wagon too!" He cried out. "We stole everything!"

"Jimin!" The elder gritted his teeth. This Jimin was near tears as he confessed everything, not caring what his friend had to say about it. Jimin came clean with what happened that day Namjoon pulled all the angels away over a deer. They were all listening in the background, shocked you were able to catch the thieves months later. They were just as surprised. It was clear the thieves never suspected to be caught.

Jimin was recalling every single detail. He said some information that caused you to raise an eyebrow. They seemed like any other petty thieves aside from the fact that they were told to arrive to that specific area. Apparently some strange man in the capital assured them that they would find all the world's best riches there. Strange man? You were about to ask for more details, but Jimin was doing it all his own. He was even telling you things that you didn't really need to know about. His hyung was turning pink when Jimin revealed that 'Hoseok' had been having a stomachache and relieved himself before they found all the horses, wagon, and carriage.

"No one was there so we just decided to take it! We trusted that weird fortune teller guy! I don't remember his name, but he sort of had a weird looking face! He was slightly older than us and Hoseok didn't trust him, but he told me that he could promise the world's best treasures! He looked almost like a sly cat and I don't know why I trusted him, but I did! Hoseok hyung went along with it since we don't really have a home. We just go wherever so it wouldn't hurt to see if it was true and then we stumbled upon everything and—"

"Jimin!" Hoseok hissed.

"Hoseok hyung's poop wasn't solid and I was getting tired—"

"JIMIN." Hoseok wanted to hit his dongsaeng.

"A-Anyway, we stole everything and lost everything..." Jimin pouted. He stared up at you with innocent eyes despite being a thief. It was odd how you felt more tempted to trust him than Hoseok. He was at least able to feel guilty and revealed everything compared to Hoseok. The older kept trying to shut him up and you were growing sick of it. You brought the sword near Hoseok's throat again, Jimin starting to cry immediately. "NO! NO! Please!! Hyung is all I have!!" Jimin begged, making you freeze. You were stiff at his words. Hoseok was taking in slow breaths, glancing at the boy.

Those words felt all too familiar. This man was all he had? You stared at Hoseok, wanting to scoff. He clearly wasn't left with much. The both of them were dirty and wearing gunny sack material type clothing. They looked like beggars. Their hair uncombed and messy. There was nothing special about them. No one would care if they were suddenly gone. Gripping your sword, you felt your eyes stinging. Maybe no one else would care but it would crumble Jimin if Hoseok was gone. You saw the desperation in the younger's eyes. He was bowing at you and crying with no shame. He threw out all pride without giving you attitude. It could have been pathetic, but it was also admirable as you lowered your sword from Hoseok. He let out a breath as Jimin bowed to you again.

"T-Thank you!" Jimin hiccupped.

"Why would you steal so much? How did you lose it all?" Your brows knitted together in frustration. If you can't kill them then you at least needed answers. With how much money they technically ran away with, they should have been able to buy better clothes. Fix their hair and take a bath! They were jokes of thieves! No wonder they lost everything. It made sense how they were caught...unless it was that fortune teller's plan. You didn't like the sound of this.

"We got drunk a lot." Jimin pouted. "We bought a lot of drinks and Hoseok hyung likes to gamble, but he's really bad at it."

"Aish! No, I'm not!" Hoseok glared at the boy. "L-Look! It was all Jimin's idea from the start! He wanted to listen to that fortune teller and steal all the stuff! So kill him and not me if you need to!" Hoseok panted as Jimin stared at him in utter shock. His plump lips parted, a little puff of air leaving him.

"H-Hyung..."

"Are you joking?" You scoffed. Hoseok stared at you with large eyes. Jimin begged and pleaded, revealing everything just for Hoseok to be saved and then this is what he gets? Bringing your sword up, Hoseok swallowed hard as Jimin began to cry all over again. It felt like a cycle until you noticed Hoseok holding Jimin's hand. He was gripping it tightly for someone who was ready to have him be killed. To say you weren't happy with what you were witnessing was an understatement. It was frustrating you to your very core. You brought down your sword again with a huff. They weren't making any sense to you. Did they both wanted to be killed? Jimin pulled Hoseok into a hug, the two holding each other. They were gripping onto one another for dear life. It made you click your tongue right away as you felt another hit at your heart. Were they purposely trying to break you all over again? "I want the truth!"

"O-Okay! Yes! I gambled everything away and then when we didn't have any more of the gifts, we sold the horses!" Hoseok admitted. "They didn't want to listen to us anyway so..."

"Only this one was nice," Jimin spoke quietly. A heavy sigh left you as you looked over at Happy. He is definitely a nice horse. He's a good boy.

The rest of the angels were staring at the thieves with less than pleased faces. Just by their eyes, you could tell they were irritated to find out their horses were sold. Though you doubted any of them had close relationships with any of their horses. Not as close as you were to Happy at least. Slowly, you turned your head back to face the thieves. Happy was back and they had the wagon. You would be a fool to completely ignore this opportunity. Hoseok and Jimin were still clutching on to each other, the two of them sobbing now as Hoseok apologized for trying to put the blame on him. He just didn't want Jimin to miss him too much if he actually got killed. Jimin easily forgave his hyung though as the two of them rocked each other. Gritting your teeth, you brought your sword in between them to see them freeze once more.

"I can easily kill you both with one swing and no one will miss any of you..." You let out a shaky breath as they paled. "But I'm not going to. As long as you two help us travel back to the capital with Happy and the wagon."

"H-Help?" Hoseok repeated.

"Y-You want us to lead Happy?" Jimin questioned as you nodded. Hoseok and Jimin will take turns with Happy just so you guys will arrive to the capital faster. That way it won't take months to return back to the capital. You'll be back and hopefully this nightmare can be over with. You kept your sword pointed at them as they stayed silent.

"Well?" You moved your sword through the air. The leaned back in fear, still holding one another. "I demand the both of you to take all of us! Y-You will listen to me because I-I'm tired and can't stand being here anymore!" You were trembling as tears left you all over again. Seeing their friendship was getting to you. Dropping the sword, you fell onto your own knees as the thieves furrowed their brows.

"Yes, we will do that..." Hoseok nodded as Namjoon walked over to you.

The rest of the angels hesitated, but eventually followed Solji's lead. They walked over to the wagon to jump inside. The space was a little cramped if they sat so some of them decided to sit on the wall of the wagon and hold tight. Jimin and Hoseok stood up, awkwardly looking at you before going over to the front of the wagon. Hoseok held onto the reins as Jimin sat next to him patiently. They didn't say anything the entire time that Namjoon was crouched down next to you.

He rubbed your shoulders as you sobbed, giving you a kiss on the head. It felt like you had no control over your actions or emotions. One moment you were too weak to stand and the next, you were flailing your sword around like a lunatic. You're surprised Namjoon is still bothering to be patient with you. He wiped away your tears with his thumbs before putting away your sword in its scabbard. Instead of returning it to you though, he walked over to the wagon to give it to Solji. You blinked in surprise and made a small grunt as a protest. He was taking away your sword? Was this your punishment? You began to get up, reaching towards Solji only for Namjoon to grab your wrists. He held you still as you cried helplessly.

"You are no longer my shadow...you don't need that anymore. You're my wife. The mother of my unborn child and the Queen of Goguryeo, okay?" Namjoon held your wrists tighter until you stopped squirming. You sniffled as you stared up at him. Hoseok and Jimin stiffened as it clicked in their head. Such expensive presents had to belong to someone incredibly wealthy. They looked over their shoulders at the angels before looking over at Namjoon. They stole from the King? Jimin and Hoseok felt like throwing up.

"You still want me?" You took in a breath as he chuckled.

"Do you really think I went through all that trouble just to give up on us?" Namjoon managed to make you smile. He leaned down, pecking your lips as he released your wrists. "Come on. Let's get on the wagon."

"Okay." You took a hold of his hand, following him up on the wagon. Him and Jeonghwa helped you get up onto it. Namjoon took a seat next to you, holding your hand while the other went back to looking at Hwayoung's hairpin. Your whimpers were soft as Happy began moving the wagon again.

No one spoke the entire time that you sat in the wagon. You were too busy staring at the hairpin crying to realize they weren't talking because of you. The atmosphere felt awkward now with the new strangers. Jimin and Hoseok would have to be working for the King and Queen all of a sudden. They felt the most strange about the situation. There were moments when they wanted to whisper to each other, but then you would sob and they held back. None of the angels said anything and let Namjoon do all the hugging. He held you close and gave you kisses from time to time. Anything to remind you that you weren't alone. He occasionally told you little things to comfort you. Telling you that you weren't alone in feeling this pain. He'll allow you to mourn, but this pain would eventually go away no matter how awful it felt.

It didn't occur to you at first that Namjoon was speaking from experience. He lost both of his parents. His words came from his heart and that was able to give you some hope. A little light in a tunnel of darkness. It may be small, but it was something. You wanted to believe Namjoon that you would feel better with time. If you continued to feel this way your entire life, you didn't know how it would be possible to live. Maybe you'll never truly get over the fact that Hwayoung is gone, but you wanted to make an effort to get a healthier mindset. You wanted to have faith that eventually you'll heal. Eventually you'll start to feel as simple as okay again.

Resting your head against Namjoon's shoulder, you were lost in your head as Namjoon directed the two men. They listened to every word until they found themselves in front of a shack. Jimin and Hoseok got Happy to stop as they stared at the small building. It was in the middle of nowhere. Who would be living so far away? They weren't remotely close to civilization. The two thieves were sure the place was abandoned. No one would voluntarily live far out here all on their own and actually survive. They were completely confused besides the angels and the King. Namjoon held his hand up to the side of his mouth, ignoring the thieves who kept whispering to each other.

"Taehyung! Get out!" Namjoon yelled. Jimin and Hoseok flinched at his loud voice. They didn't know anything that was going on. They were only following orders. That's when they heard the sounds of shuffling inside the house, surprised that someone was actually living inside there.

"W-Who?" The familiar deep voice asked.

"Who do you think!? Get out and pack your things!" Namjoon shouted. "This is a royal command!"

"Royal command?" Taehyung opened the door with a whine. He soon noticed the two extra people, turning red immediately. The awkward male became tense as he quickly ran back inside. A sigh left Namjoon as he hoped he wouldn't have to drag Taehyung back out on his own. It sounded like there was movement inside before Taehyung slowly came out. He had a pout on his face as he held a bag, staring down at his feet. "W-Where are we going?"

"To the capital. We're bringing you with us," Namjoon answered as Taehyung lifted his face up in shock.

"W-Why? With all those people? I-I hate that!" Taehyung shook his head only for Namjoon to narrow his eyes on him.

"(F/n) likes you so I'm taking you. Get inside." Namjoon pointed to the small open space behind him. Taehyung opened his mouth to protest only for nothing to come out. He looked back over at Jimin and Hoseok who were keeping to themselves. This was too much for him, but he wasn't ready to go against the King's words. Taehyung held his bag tightly, letting out a heavy sigh as he walked over to the wagon. He tossed his bag onto the floor of the wagon before struggling to hop inside. He had little to no upper body strength. Jimin offered to help, but Taehyung panicked and wanted to stay away from the stranger. He jumped inside like a fish out of water with a red face. He was panting so much that it looked like he had just been on a run.

Namjoon ordered the two thieves to go forward, patting Taehyung's back roughly. The male felt like the air was getting knocked out of him. With a flick of the reins, the wagon was back to moving. Taehyung stared at his shack with a sad look. He's going to miss his escape from civilization. Now he's going to be brought to the worst place ever. The capital which had the highest population. It made him want to scrunch his face in disgust though he didn't want to offend the King. Taehyung held his bag tightly as Jimin looked back at him curiously. Jimin knew why him and Hoseok were here, but why this guy? Taehyung felt scared as Jimin blinked at him.

"I'm Park Jimin," He introduced himself. "We were ordered to be here too!"

"...Kim Taehyung." He forced himself to push those words out, not quite enjoying what he had in common with the strangers already.

"I'm Jung Hoseok!" Hoseok put his hand on his chest, louder than Taehyung would have liked. Taehyung only nodded his head at the strangers. He was only comfortable around the angels and the King so far. He wasn't even sure how he managed to get comfortable around them. Now he regretted being so generous to them, but he couldn't help it. He was nice without thinking at times. Then Namjoon and you considered him a friend. It's best to go on this trip without complaining then aside from the fact that he's sitting next to royals. Taehyung didn't say anything as an entire hour of silence passed. Loosening his grip on his bag, he looked around at all the angels to see how exhausted and defeated they looked. He even looked over at you to see how puffy your eyes were. Taehyung frowned, looking at all the angels again to notice something was different.

"Wait. Where is the other angel? There were seven in total." Taehyung pointed out as Namjoon inhaled a sharp breath. It sounded like a hiss telling Taehyung to shut up. The male didn't catch the clue as you began to cry again. Namjoon frowned, holding you tighter to his chest.

"We lost her." Namjoon kept it short, glaring at Taehyung. It was then when he finally caught up with everything. They all looked like they had been crying and they were all so bloody too. Taehyung pursed his lips, hating himself in that moment as Jimin suddenly gave him a frustrated pout. Who does this guy think he is giving him that look?

"She finally stopped crying and now you're starting her up again," Jimin whispered harshly.

"Leave me alone," Taehyung whispered back, tempted to push Jimin. His social skills were never the best. Those two were close to bickering if it weren't for Namjoon's deadly glare. It was one that threatened the safety of their heads attached to their bodies. They both gulped hard as you lifted your head up from Namjoon's chest. Your cheeks were red and stained with new tears as you looked over at Taehyung. He froze to be underneath your gaze. It surprised him though that you weren't scowling at him or glaring like your husband at the poorly timed mention of the missing angel.

"Hwayoung. Her name was Chang Hwayoung..." You spoke. Taehyung looked over at you quietly. His eyes were apologetic as he looked back at you. He didn't say anything, stunned that the strong and positive girl he knew a few days ago was so torn down. It left you quite stunned too if you were being honest. You were doing your best to keep eye contact with him even with tears blurring your vision. Namjoon rubbed your back to see you giving Taehyung a smile. It was shaky, wanting to fall down and your cheeks hurting to hold it. A smile felt wrong, but you wanted to try it. You wanted to smile thinking and talking about Hwayoung again. "She was my best friend."


	44. Fighting For Something

Ch.43

How fast is it supposed to take for someone to heal? Despite trying to keep a hopeful outlook, you were struggling to ignore how you truly felt inside. It's only been a week since Hwayoung's death and you felt just as broken as when it all happened. The memory of her death tortured you relentlessly. It was burned into your mind and would come whenever it pleased. Just as you were about to sleep, you would remember everything. It would suddenly feel like your body was back in Lady Eunchae's courtyard. You could feel the cold air on your skin and hear your shrieks through the open yard. It left you unable to sleep with how much it haunted you. There was never a single moment of peace in your mind no matter how much you tried to smile and look on the bright side. It was impossible.

It felt like you were in nightmare that's been going on for too long. You just wanted to wake up already and have Hwayoung by your side. To hear her laugh and tease each other once more. That was what you craved for. It wasn't the same with the other angels. They weren't Hwayoung. You didn't want to push away the angels, but that's what you've been doing. You weren't straight forward about it, but it was clear you wanted to be left alone. The only one you allowed to talk to you was Namjoon and Taehyung. At least you were the most stable looking at them. It was easier to give them smiles than your fellow angels or the thieves.

It was strange though. You pushed away the angels because they reminded you of everything yet you missed them. They were less than a couple feet away and you missed them along with Hwayoung. You were making yourself feel alone. It made you wonder if you would feel happier hearing one of Solji's little stories with morals to learn at the end or get the honest truth from Hyojin. Maybe you needed to laugh with Heeyeon and Hyelin or get showered with love by Jeonghwa. They were patiently waiting for you as they tried to heal too. It was fair to say that everyone in this wagon was messed up inside. The only one who had it together was Happy. Happy is just great like that.

God, a week has passed. You sighed heavily and stared at your lap with the hairpin in your hand. It had stayed in your grip even as you slept. Overall, you felt so lost. A week and you don't see a difference in how you feel. Feeling okay didn't sound like an achievable goal at this point. Another sigh left you just as Taehyung's hands came into your vision. In his hands was a plum. It wasn't much, but you could tell what he was doing. Taehyung practically stayed glued to you during the trip. It was by his own choice, but Namjoon also wanted him near you. Taehyung was set as your physician and so he was only trying to take care of you. The other angels were silent meanwhile the thieves glanced over their shoulders to look at your slouching form.

"Please eat this, (F/n)." Taehyung nudged it towards you. His voice was soft and he was being gentle which you appreciated, but you shook your head.

"I'm not hungry." You let out another sigh as he frowned. He kept the plum held out towards you, pursing his lips.

Everyone else in the wagon was worried to hear that coming from you. The angels wanted to say something, but Namjoon ordered them to give you space. He thought that might help. He would be ready to lift that at any point so it wasn't permanent. The angels remained silent along with the thieves. Jimin and Hoseok hadn't necessarily gotten closer to you. You weren't as outgoing and friendly as you naturally were in front of them. That didn't stop them from feeling sympathetic. It was mainly Jimin who felt concerned for the Queen considering that you wouldn't be eating just for yourself. Taehyung looked over his shoulder to meet Namjoon's eyes. The King was stressing over this, crawling closer to you to place his hand on your head.

"(F/n), you need to eat something. You barely eat and that's not good," Namjoon said, petting your head.

"You have to eat for the baby, (F/n). Please." Taehyung begged. He was desperate, wishing you would take the plum already. Your eyes slowly looked up to meet both of their eyes.

They were right and you knew that. They kept telling you to think of the baby in hopes that would get you out of your gloomy state. The little bump was a little bigger, but you feared you weren't being a good mother at all. Did you deserve a baby in the first place? Did you even deserve to be Queen? But then your mind would go back to what Hwayoung said before she was killed. She believed you were the perfect person to be Queen. Tears began to leave you as you grabbed the little plum. This baby is the only thing you have that makes you look forward to the future. A future that sadly doesn't contain Hwayoung in it anymore. At least not in the way you had always pictured it.

Taehyung was relieved to see you take the plum. He ran a hand through his hair, sitting back against the short wall of the wagon. Namjoon was happy too that you were listening. This was almost the same conversation every day. You would get too lost in your sadness and they had to remind you of everything you were ignoring. You were probably hurting the baby with how much you were grieving. You needed to get a hold of yourself eventually. Namjoon kissed the side of your head, encouraging you as you nibbled on the plum. You were slow at eating, but you finished it like the two had hoped. That was all they wanted. If they got you to eat just one thing in the morning then you would definitely eat later. It meant you were for the most part alright. You were working on it.

Taehyung and Namjoon smiled at each other when you saw another plum get held out in your direction. They were in small hands that you weren't familiar with. Blinking at them, you raised your head to see who they belonged to. You were immediately met with Jimin's smile. His eyes were crescent moons as he held the plum towards you. Seeing him hold out the plum to you left you a bit shocked. Expecting any sympathy or kindness from the thieves wasn't anything you would imagine would happen. Doesn't he remember how you practically lost it at him and Hoseok just a week ago? You almost killed his hyung from the blur of emotions you were feeling that day. Jimin inched closer to you, placing the plum gently in your hands.

"Please take care of yourself and the baby, your Highness," Jimin requested. He let out a small giggle to see you nod your head. Bringing the plum up to your lips, you saw how Jimin was watching you in excitement. Watching you eat plums could not be this exciting to him. You took a bite to see him only grow more enthusiastic. Was he happy because you accepted his plum and ate it?

Whatever the reason, you ate the plum because it was sweet. You liked it and you were a bit hungry after all. Jimin was humming, swaying side to side as you ate the plum in bigger bites than the one Taehyung gave you. It didn't take long for you to finish it. The second you did, Jimin was praising you and talking about how healthy your child would be. That managed to put a smile on your face. It was small, but at least it wasn't forced like all the ones you've been giving everybody the past week. Jimin was a chatterbox and that was something you learned from the short time you've spent with him. He thought highly of everyone and had an innocent vibe to him despite being a thief. It was an interesting contrast to his character.

But you liked him so far. That was something that left Namjoon and Taehyung stunned. They didn't think Jimin would give you his plum and that you would actually eat it. Namjoon raised a brow at the interaction, but he figured that maybe this would be good for you. Maybe new friends and experiences would help you heal. Taehyung on the other hand shifted awkwardly in his seat, confused to see how easy it was for Jimin to get you to eat. That put a little pout on the male until Namjoon patted his head. The King chuckled at Taehyung's awkward behavior and watched you listen to Jimin's endless talking with the faintest smile on your face.

"I bet the baby will be so adorable and cute!" Jimin clapped his hands together. He had been going on an entire tangent about that. You didn't say anything as you let him speak until Hoseok turned in his seat with a plum in his hand.

"Here. Give the Queen my plum. I'll wait to eat later." Hoseok put it in Jimin's hand, his dongsaeng staring at him in awe.

"Oh, you're so cool, Hyung!" Jimin grinned as Hoseok turned back to focus on the path ahead of him again. Jimin gushed about his hyung as he faced you, giving you the plum that apparently belonged to Hoseok. This was his meal? Does that mean Jimin's plum was meant for him too?

You stared at the plum in your hand silently. Jimin was talking again, but you weren't listening. They gave you their plums so easily. Did they worry about you? They don't even know you. Aside from addressing you formally, they don't give you much special treatment for being the Queen. A shaky breath left you as you were only reminded of Hwayoung. She gave you her food without question. Anytime you were hungry, she'd give you her food even if she was hungry. She gave you her handkerchief when you would cry and tell you to keep it. Now she gave you her hairpin, leaving you in charge of it until it gets back to Seungwon. She gave it all up so easily for you. Your shoulders started shaking, causing Jimin to be silent as you began to cry again.

"Hwayoung..."

*~*

_The memory that decided to appear in your head was when you were eleven along with Hwayoung. The two of you would play often, but she was beginning to act different. You couldn't quite tell why Hwayoung was changing in front of you. She's normally just as energetic as you and really competitive. Then she would also be a bit mean to the Crown Prince. Not mean in a bad way, but she teased him a lot. The two would yell at each other, but you knew it was just their way of getting along. Except they didn't along as they used to._

_The Crown Prince was starting to look a little sad these days. Nothing too bad, so you figured he would cheer up. He seemed happy when you were around, but Hwayoung made him upset. It was making you sad and frustrated too. Hwayoung was talking a lot less to the Crown Prince and to the other angels too. She was almost becoming mute to them. Then the Crown Prince didn't like how Hwayoung wasn't calling him by his name anymore. It made them fight and it wasn't like before. You didn't know what to do as they put you in the middle of it. In the end though, you sided with Namjoon and told Hwayoung to just call him by his name. If he's the one telling you guys to do it then it should be fine, right?_

_Hwayoung only ended up getting upset with you too. She told you that you were making a mistake and ran off. She left crying which is why you're feeling so guilty right now. If it'll make her feel better, you'll start calling Namjoon by his title more. Then that'll make him mad though. A sigh left you as you swung your feet back and forth. You were sitting on a wall, thinking about what to do to make both of your friends happy. It's been a day since the fight. Normally, you would have worked on making things better faster but...your father got in the way. You sniffled as you stared at your bare feet that were covered with whip marks. You don't know what you did as always. He just got angry to see you and then your mother saved you after some time. There was a lot of screaming and yelling. Your feet felt numb and you ended up staying in bed. It wouldn't make sense to walk with your feet bleeding and in pain. Hopefully Hwayoung can understand that._

_"Eomeoni said it would heal..." You brought your foot up. "I hope so." It wasn't a pretty sight. Whippings were never fun. Frowning, you lowered your leg when you heard your stomach growl. Your eyes widened at the little surprise. You were hungry? You stared at your stomach in awe when you heard the sound of footsteps. They startled you, making you jump to face them immediately. You got off the wall and relaxed to see it was Hwayoung instead of your father. She held a bread in her hand, her eyes quick to look down at your feet._

_"He did it again?" Hwayoung frowned._

_"Oh...yeah." You put one foot on top of the other in an attempt to cover it, but that did no good. She already saw them anyway. Hwayoung's basically seen everything._

_"...I heard your stomach," Hwayoung spoke again as she held out her bread. You turned to face her, staring at the bread that looked fresh. You licked your lips until you took a moment to look at Hwayoung. She seemed pretty skinny herself. "You're hungry."_

_"Hwayoung, have you eaten?" You walked over to her with a frown. Hwayoung didn't say anything as she continued to hold the bread out._

_"Please take it." Hwayoung stopped looking at the bread. You pouted your lips at her. You know Hwayoung better than anyone. That meant you knew her home situation just like she knew yours._

_"If they're starving you then you shouldn't be giving me your food," You stated with a firm voice. Balling your hands up in fists, you felt like crying. Hwayoung didn't say anything as she slowly lowered her hand that held the bread. Her eyes were on the ground as she brought the bread up to her chest. It was still warm in her hands._

_"They gave this to me after three days..." Hwayoung blinked at it. She swallowed hard, tightening her grip on the bread._

_"Then eat it! Don't give it to me!" You stomped your foot only to wince. That didn't feel too great. Especially since you weren't wearing any shoes. It hurt too much to put them on so you would have to wait a while for your feet to heal a bit more._

_"Okay." Hwayoung slowly took a bite of the bread before eating up the entire thing. It was really sad to see your best friend desperately eating. Hwayoung ate every single crumb, crying now that she had finally been fed. You were quick to hug her, trying to make her feel better. "I-I'm still hungry."_

_"Let's go find you food!" You pulled away with an excited smile. Hwayoung sniffled, lifting her two brows at you. "We'll take food that the palace women make!"_

_"B-But that food is for the royal family." Hwayoung wiped her nose. She stared at you already getting lost in your plan. The palace women should be making food right now. You two will offer to bring it over to the Crown Prince and then take a little from it. Nothing too noticeable. Just something so Hwayoung can get a little more in her stomach. Then when you guys enter Namjoon's chamber, you'll both ask if he'll share some of his food with Hwayoung. You're sure he will, but in case he wants to be mean at least Hwayoung took a little bit beforehand. It was a solid plan!_

_You were quick to start whispering the plan into Hwayoung's ear. She was automatically nervous with what you had thought out. Hwayoung listened though to what you had to say. She heard you out before telling you right away that it was a bad idea. What? You huffed and puffed, telling her that it didn't matter if it was a bad idea or not. She needed food in her stomach and you were going to get it for her somehow. Neither of you had money to go buy some so this was your way of trying to help her. Hwayoung was still hesitant, but she was your best friend. She eventually gave in and agreed to follow the plan with you. She was getting hungry anyway._

_The two of you ran over towards the area the palace women cooked. Many of them were walking around, poking at fires and putting food to cook. The servants were hard at work as always. You've never really been here, but it left you in awe. Women of the court were always kind of mean towards angels so you knew you had to be careful. Hwayoung was well aware with how rude they could be. They didn't care if you were children or not. The frustrating part was that they felt the need to make you all behave like them when you're not even a servant. You're a guard and so is Hwayoung! The both of you are too young to fight yet, but that didn't change anything._

_"Ready?" You looked at her to see her nod. The two of you came out of hiding, running over to the palace woman carrying the Crown Prince's food. "Excuse me! Hello!" You waved your hands, catching their attention with Hwayoung by your side. "Can we bring the Crown Prince's food to him?"_

_"Did he specifically ask for you two?" She narrowed her eyes on your shorter forms._

_"Yes," Hwayoung lied. She sounded a lot more confident than you would have been. A smile spread on your cheeks as the woman thought about it. She soon huffed, handing the two of you Namjoon's tray._

_"Make sure it gets to him or else!" The woman threatened, raising her hand as if she would slap the both of you._

_"We will!" You both scurried away._

_Hwayoung and you were giggling as you both carried the tray. That was a lot easier than you would have imagined! Adrenaline was pumping through the both of you. The food was in your hands and now it was time for Hwayoung to sneak a piece. Namjoon will get his food soon, but he'll just have to be patient. Hwayoung and you were careful not to bump into anyone. If any of the other palace women or even eunuchs spotted you two, they might come along or take the tray away to do the task themselves. They would only get in the way of your plan. Hwayoung held the tray as you checked the areas to make sure they were clear. Technically, you were using your skills in a way your mother wouldn't be happy, but it didn't matter. This was for Hwayoung._

_It looked like the both of you were in the clear. Hwayoung and you hid near stone steps that were far from the busy areas of the palace. No servants should be near here by lunch time. You faced Hwayoung with a smile as she set down the tray. She was quick to lick her lips, staring at what Namjoon gets fed daily. It was amazing to you too. He gets so much tasty food that it made you tempted to get a piece yourself. Hwayoung and you giggled before digging into his food. It was supposed to be a little bit, but then a little more food was eaten than planned. Hwayoung and you stopped when the bowl of noodles was clearly half full. That...wasn't supposed to happen._

_"It's only a little obvious." You gave Hwayoung a nervous smile._

_"(F/n)!" Hwayoung whined._

_"Look! I-I bet Namjoon won't even notice!" You clasped your hands together. "We'll hurry to give him his food and leave before he can say anything."_

_"But (F/n)—"_

_"Namjoon isn't the type to rat on us." You stared at her with big eyes. "You know that. Namjoon is our friend."_

_"..." Hwayoung stared at you silently. You had so much faith that Namjoon would protect the two of you even as the two of you were slowly drifting from him around this time. She pursed her lips, slowly nodding at what you said. "Namjoon is our friend." She repeated, getting you to grin largely at her. The two of you giggled again when something suddenly blocked the sun's light. Quieting down, the two of you turned to see a shocked eunuch staring at the both of you. His mouth was open as he put his hands in fists._

_"What the hell are you two pesky kids doing!?" The eunuch grabbed the both of you by the collar of your shirts. Now your heart was pounding as Hwayoung panicked with you. "Were you two eating the Crown Prince's food? AND calling him by his name!?"_

_"W-We—" You tried to speak only for Hwayoung to interrupt._

_"It was my fault. I was hungry because I haven't eaten in days!" Hwayoung frowned. "I told (F/n) to help me. Punish me, not her."_

_"W-What? But Hwayoung!" You were released by the eunuch. He shoved you onto the ground, not caring what happened with you as long as he had a good hold of Hwayoung. She looked back at you, shaking her head quietly. "I-I was the one who made up the plan! I wanted to help Hwayoung eat!"_

_"You two have done enough!" The eunuch brought up his foot to kick your shoulder. You hit the stone ground, wincing it. Tears were getting in your eyes again as you forced yourself to get up again. Where did they go? You panicked as you saw the eunuch dragging Hwayoung, scolding her and threatening how he would make her learn her lesson. "H-Hwayoung!" You cried out._

_Why would she do that? She took the blame for the both of you for no reason. It wasn't right._

*~*

You didn't mean to cry again. It just sort of happened like most of the times lately. Tears would be leaving you before you realized it. Kind of like now. It was exhausting as your body proceeded to make this a habit. Hunching over, squeezing the hairpin in your grip and seeing the plum as a fuzzy purple ball. Your vision was blurred with tears as your breathing became quick. All kinds of memories about Hwayoung would enter your head over the littlest of things. Your mind never gave you a break. All you wanted was to heal, but it felt like your mind was against you. It was so tiring to feel this way. Your inhaled a sharp breath as Taehyung grabbed Jimin by the arm. He pulled the man back as Namjoon crawled over to you.

Namjoon was always quick to come to your aid. You felt like a complete burden for doing this to him so many times. He needs his own time to heal, but he's too busy trying to make you stop crying. It was the same thing over and over again. Everyone was tired of you and you were certain about that. You were getting tired of yourself. Sobbing quietly, you watched Namjoon take the plum out of your hands and set it to the side. He let out a breath before putting his hands on the sides of your face. Namjoon's hands were warm, lifting your face up to look at him. His thumbs wiped away the salty water from your cheeks. He did it all with care, not wanting to be rough with you.

"Take slow breaths, (F/n)," Namjoon reminded you. Though your body was trembling so much to the point where you felt almost unresponsive to everything around you, you listened to him. You closed your eyes tightly and focused on just that single first slow breath. Namjoon smiled as he calmly encouraged you to keep that slow rhythm. You were originally feeling lightheaded, but Namjoon kept you together. By the time you opened your eyes, he leaned to peck his lips against yours.

"I'm sorry..." Your eyes were stinging so much, but you were getting used to it.

"Don't apologize." Namjoon shook his head at you. "With time, you'll feel better. You're going to feel happy again and smile." Namjoon watched you sniffle. "I know it's hard, but...take it from me. I grew up knowing that all seven of you are willing and ready to die for me at any given moment. It was and still is a lot to take in, but I never wanted to take that for granted. It's each of your lives that you're giving to me every day...and if any one of you died then I didn't want to make it all for nothing. I knew that if any of you were to die for me that it was so I could lead the nation. Hwayoung protected you so you could live on to become Queen and raise a child. She did it so you could have all your dreams come true."

"It's just..."

The tears were back out again. There was nothing wrong with what he said. Everything Namjoon said was what you needed to hear. It was something to motivate you yet you were crying. Only because you didn't ask her to be that selfless. No one did. She was meant to give her life up for the King if it ever came down to that, but she didn't. She did it for you even though the most that was ever asked of her was to act as your shadow. Maybe that's what made her feel the need to step in the way and fight that guard. Why couldn't she have shot an arrow like the other time? Why couldn't another angel stab the guard from behind? You were so desperate to feel alright again. You just missed her so much. Namjoon wiped your eyes once more before you saw his hands moving close to your own. It was fine until he took ahold of the hand that held Hwayoung's hairpin.

"I think you'll feel better if—" Namjoon tried to take it from you only for you to pull away. He's not taking it from you! Namjoon was shocked as he saw you jump over to the angels, panicked that you almost took the hairpin from him. "Er, (F/n)—"

"You don't get to take this away from me!" You breathed heavily. "Only Seungwon will get this so for now it s-stays with me. I don't care if it's a reminder that hurts me...I need it."

"I'll protect it too," Namjoon said as you scooted closer to your angels. The King frowned, looking at the angels who didn't know what to do. He gave them a subtle nod that granted them permission to comfort you. Slowly, you felt the girls moving close to hug you. Their words of comfort came rushing in as you stared at Namjoon.

"A piece of me died right in front of me that day, Namjoon...let me hold this last piece of her until its time," You begged. Solji wrapped her arm around your shoulders, pulling you close to her chest. Hyojin was rubbing your back as Heeyeon retrieved the plum Hoseok had given to you. She would hold it for you until you were hungry again. Hyelin and Jeonghwa placed a thin blanket over you that originally belonged to Taehyung. He packed for himself, but he figured you would need it more. Taehyung and Jimin were currently sitting at the corner of the wagon with small frowns. Hoseok didn't say anything as he focused on keeping the wagon and Happy going. You kept the hairpin close to your chest as Namjoon let out a little breath.

"If that is what you need, my Love," Namjoon spoke quietly.

"Thank you." You took in a deep breath, allowing the angels to finally comfort you after pushing them away for days. They didn't deserve to be ignored by you. They're trying their best too.

"We'll cry with you too, Unnie." Jeonghwa's own eyes were red. She probably cried whenever you got little sleep or silently to herself. Not that Jeonghwa was known as a silent crier.

"It's okay to feel sad, but don't let it affect the baby." Hyelin put her hand on your bump. "You still have to fight for them."

"I'll fight for them," You mumbled, looking down at your bump. It was still small, but it was growing.

"Not literally fight though." Hyojin reminded as she dragged her index finger down from your forehead down to your nose, giving it a light tap. It left a tingle against your skin and you smiled from her soft and affectionate actions. "We'll fight for you, (F/n)." Your smile twitched at that. You still weren't sure how you felt about them protecting you with their lives. Just from how you were acting, you didn't think it was a good idea. You opened your mouth only for Heeyeon to shove the plum in your mouth.

"And don't bother protesting either." Heeyeon wagged her finger at you. Grabbing the plum, you took a bite to see her smile. She sighed in relief to see you eating. "That's good. Eat. Food always makes me feel better."

"Me too." Hyelin nodded. "That's why we're all fat."

"Speak for yourself," Heeyeon grumbled. The two were quick to elbow one another while smiling at you. Somehow though, you were able to laugh. They became quiet as they stared at you. It was quick and subtle, but they made you laugh. You weren't alone as you thought. You still had five other angels with you. The girls were smiling around you as you took another bite of the plum, keeping Hwayoung's hairpin close. Solji was petting your hair and it only reminded of when you were younger when she would do this for you. You needed them now just as you did back then.

"Take all the time you need, (F/n), but make sure you fight for Hwayoung too." Solji let her fingers run through your hair. You hummed in agreement, feeling sleepy and safe for the first time in a while. "As angels, we will not let her death be in vain."


	45. Surrounded by Love

Ch.44

It's been approximately a month. It was hard to believe a month had passed, but you were glad you were getting a better grip of time these days. Life has been hard without your best friend around. That was just the honest truth. You missed Hwayoung and thought about her a lot. She appeared in your head over little things, but you were able to think about her without crying. At least not at every given second anymore. It was easier to smile when remembering her. She wasn't a sad memory anymore and that's all you wanted. You're still working on healing, but your progress was noticeable. You're able to take the hairpin out of your grip though you're still protective over the item. That was natural though, but the main thing was that you could laugh and smile with your friends again. They were the reason you were able to slowly return to your old self.

Not necessarily your old self. Maybe a new self? There were some clear changes about you. It was impossible to stay the same after experiencing all of that. You were less naïve and maybe not as optimistic as you once were. That wasn't a bad thing though. All it meant was that you were more aware of what was happening around you and taking life in a more real sense. You were pulled out of your daydreams. You also felt less capable of violent or aggressive acts. Despite lashing out on Jimin and Hoseok when you first met them, you couldn't even imagine hurting them anymore. Anyone for that matter. Fighting just didn't spark with you like it used to and you were okay with that. Surprisingly.

But it's not like you were in any shape to fight anymore. The baby bump had grown a decent amount in this month. It was noticeable that you were pregnant now, but you weren't really struggling with anything. You could still see your toes, the sickness had gone away, and now you just tended to feel hungry for the strangest of things. It was actually quite funny to you. Being pregnant was an interesting thing and you're glad that seeing the bump get bigger helped you. This little baby was a constant reminder to get better. It also made Namjoon so happy with how good you were doing. It felt like the two of you were back to being lovey dovey. Breathing was becoming a lot easier as the days went on.

You could say the same for everyone else. The angels still felt the same loss you did, but they were all strong. They stuck to their training and remained loyal to Namjoon as his angels. You doubt you would be capable of being his angel after what happened if you weren't already his lover. Thankfully your angel duties were lifted and now your only job was to be a Queen and help raise this baby with your husband. That was a job you were excited to perform with all your heart. Namjoon was thrilled for it too. He hadn't expressed as much sadness like you, but you knew he felt it when he thought back on Hwayoung. He was moving on though and looked forward to life back at the capital. It was going to be nice to stop traveling once you guys return.

It was also exciting to think about how your three new friends were going to adjust to the capital life. In this entire month, you naturally befriended Jimin and Hoseok. It shocked Namjoon at first until he remembered how friendly you were. It was nice to see you chatting again. You've probably apologized for almost killing them multiple times, but they forgave you. They addressed you as Queen, but they were still friends to you. Especially since you've made your first royal order. Taehyung, Jimin, and Hoseok are going to have to stay living in the capital. They'll work for the palace somehow and that's how you plan on keeping them. Jimin and Hoseok were excited at living at such a fancy place while Taehyung wanted to be reassured that he wouldn't have to leave the palace. He was still closed off as ever to strangers, but he was getting better.

"I'm hoping it'll be a Crown Princess!" Jeonghwa had her hands together, squealing as you all talked about the baby. You were sitting at the back of the wagon with the angels. There was a large smile on your face to see how genuinely happy they were for you.

"If the baby is a girl then I'll learn how to make clothes for her! A pretty dress!" Solji smiled.

"How do you plan on learning that?" Hyojin raised a brow. "From a palace woman?"

"Ew." Hyelin scrunched her face. Heeyeon also covered her mouth as if she were to throw up.

"Sorry, it's just an instinct at this point." Heeyeon let out a breath.

"They're just so rude and...awful." Hyelin kept her language appropriate, glancing at your stomach.

"You're right and you should say it." You laughed with them.

If there was anything that made your bond closer with the angels, it was the mutual distaste for ladies of the court. You certainly weren't looking forward to having to deal with them when you return. You could already hear their annoying voices shocked that the King fell in love with you. Then they'd suddenly start acting kind towards you because of your title, but there's no way you'd fall for any of it. You're well aware of how they are and you don't want to go along with their fickle personality.

Honestly, thinking about how awful the palace women are reminded you of Hwayoung. She would have been very excited to be in this conversation. She would grumble and give you little side looks that only you could decipher. The both of you would giggle at the memory of you fighting a palace woman when you were thirteen. She deserved it! Then Hwayoung would bring up all the times palace women tried to flirt with Seungwon right in front of her. Of course, they didn't know they were together, but that didn't make them any less annoying. It always took so much out of Hwayoung not to just start hitting the palace women with her scabbard. You definitely would have cheered her on even though Seungwon would be trying to pull his lover away.

It all left you with a faint smile on your face. There wasn't that much sadness anymore which was good. Progress. Namjoon was sitting with the other men, happy to hear you laughing. He let you have your time with the angels since they always made you feel better. Plus, you needed to catch them up on everything they didn't know. Though Hwayoung and Seungwon's relationship was kept secret, you knew Hwayoung always contemplated telling them. She may have not always spoken to them, but she did care for the other angels. She loved them too. She wanted them to know one day so you informed all the angels on her relationship with Seungwon. It helped answer a lot of the questions they had. They never knew Seungwon was the one who gave her the hairpin. It made sense to them and it left them feeling bittersweet. That part still got you emotional if you were being honest. That was the one thing that you weren't looking forward to when returning to the palace. All of you had to face Seungwon without Hwayoung.

"Hey, now. Chin up." Hyojin tapped your chin, bringing it up for you. "We're making fun of palace women. This a time to enjoy yourself."

"Right. I'll enjoy myself." You smiled again as a soft chuckle left you.

"Good! This is our favorite bonding experience!" Hyelin clapped her hands together.

"Why are they mean to us in the first place?" Jeonghwa asked.

"I don't know why." Heeyeon scoffed. "They're all pretty stuck up to us even though we have weapons."

"We'll make fun of them, but we won't attack them." Solji reminded the girls. Just hearing that from her made you want to laugh. You were all smiles until Heeyeon brought her face close to yours, wiggling her brows.

"But Hwayoung said you fought a palace woman once. Care to share?" Heeyeon grinned in a way that made you lean back and avoid eye contact.

"Er, I need to pee!" You crawled away from her, all the angels laughing and trying to call you back. Hoseok stopped the wagon as you slowly got off. Jimin helped you get down as Namjoon began to frown. You were suddenly leaving? He looked over at the angels, his lips thinning at them. Hyelin jumped out of the wagon, promising the King she would be there. Namjoon was still protective of you as ever. It didn't help that you gave up fighting and that you had a baby in you.

Hyelin caught up with you, humming as you searched for a place to do your business. It wasn't a complete lie when you told Heeyeon you needed to pee. You've noticed this little dumpling inside you not only makes you hungrier, but your bladder was slowly starting to get worse. Taehyung told you a lot of the symptoms you may gain as the months go on and you were just checking them off as they came. You're just glad you didn't have to wear your armor anymore. You had outgrown it and you didn't want to carry that weight anymore. You were free! Only to realize the baby was just another weight that would eventually make your back ache. At least you were sort of prepared for that. While Hyelin and you were away from the others, Namjoon's eyes went over to Jimin and Taehyung who had gotten out of the wagon to stretch together.

Those two had gotten especially close in the one month they've spent together. That surprised everyone in the wagon considering how closed off Taehyung can be. He actually responded very well to Jimin's outgoing and cheerful personality. It helped him get out of his own shell. While the others were shocked, you sort of expected it. A quiet and loud friend were always the best pair. Jimin was so happy to have another friend on this trip and he was incredibly enthusiastic when he found out he was born the same year as Taehyung. That automatically had him stuck to Taehyung. Then Taehyung is kind at heart so it didn't take long for those two to become friends. It's just _how_ close they became and how fast that really surprised you.

"How do you think life in the capital will be like?" Jimin bounced on his toes, stretching his arm across his chest. He was smiling brightly at Taehyung who thought to himself.

"I don't know...I've never been. Haven't you been there?" Taehyung blinked at his friend curiously.

"Only a handful of times! Hoseok hyung and I would steal and then run as fast as we could. Stealing in the capital could be hard with how many people there are." Jimin shrugged, Taehyung being quick to click his tongue.

"No more stealing when we get there!" Taehyung scolded, shaking his index finger at the boy. Jimin stared at his finger before smiling at Taehyung. He immediately hugged his friend who became shy. "I-I'm just saying because I don't want to bribe any guards to have you released!"

"Ah, don't worry, Tae! I'll be better in the capital." Jimin nodded, hugging Taehyung tighter. "I just need to figure out what to be once I get there because I don't really want to be an eunuch."

"Me neither." Taehyung laughed, the two still hugging each other. Hoseok was sitting on the wagon, his grip tightening on the reins. Everyone else was having such a good time being buddies while Hoseok has mainly been staring at Happy's @ss this entire trip. He listened in to their conversation, his frown growing by the second. "Actually, I think I'll stay a physician for the Queen. Maybe I can train you!"

"You'll make me your assistant!?" Jimin pulled away from the hug, bouncing. The two started jumping at the idea of working with each other. The angels were chuckling softly as they hugged each other again, yelling out of pure joy. They were going in circles as they went on about their future.

Hoseok scoffed to himself, finding himself more irritated than he'd ever been the entire trip. Suddenly his dongsaeng who worshipped him was no longer batting an eye at him. Apparently, Hoseok was a 'bad influence' or however it was put by the angels. It's not like Hoseok intends on stealing anymore. He grumbled to himself before glancing over at the King. Namjoon was only sitting there, not really talking with anybody. Alone and the perfect target. That's when Hoseok scooted over to the King with a large smile. It was already suspicious to the King who didn't like his personal bubble getting invaded.

"Why, hello there," Hoseok said with a little eyebrow wiggle.

"Is there something you need?" Namjoon frowned. Even if there was, Namjoon didn't plan on helping him.

"Yeah, why don't you and I get to know each other? What do you say?" Hoseok grinned. "Seeing as my best friend has been stolen, the spot is now open to you."

"Me?" Namjoon blinked slowly at Hoseok. He glanced over at Taehyung and Jimin who were still hugging each other. Did those two ever get tired? Namjoon looked back at Hoseok with his lips pursed. "As flattered as I am by your offer, I already have a best friend."

"Then can I be your best BEST friend?" Hoseok rose a brow. This man did not quit. Namjoon sighed heavily, finding Hoseok unbelievable. He didn't understand why he had to be subjected to this. "Come on! I'm twenty years old, I like to drink a lot, and I'm getting rid of my gambling habits. I also don't steal anymore. Doesn't that sound like a great friend??" Hoseok smiled as if anything he said was desirable in a person. The angels were pretending not to listen. They wanted to burst out laughing while Namjoon wanted to be left alone. How exactly did Jimin idolize this guy?

"You...can't hear yourself? Can you?" Namjoon wanted to grimace before he went back on what Hoseok said. "Wait. You're twenty years old?"

"Yeah, but I'll be turning twenty one very soon." Hoseok smirked.

"I'll be turning twenty one in a couple months..." Namjoon's shoulders sunk at the realization while Hoseok's eyes widened.

"Oh! Oh!! We're born the same year, huh!?" Hoseok was quick to wrap his arm around the King. "Say no more, my King! We're going to be the best of friends!"

"I don't remember agreeing!" Namjoon narrowed his eyes on his new best friend. These two were quick to bicker, but it was mainly Namjoon protesting and Hoseok ignoring him as he planned out how they'll spend time together back at the palace. It was overwhelming to the King who had to use his biggest threat. It was the only way to get Hoseok to leave him alone. Namjoon told Hoseok he could become an eunuch with a smirk. Just as Namjoon planned to see Hoseok shriek and cover his crouch, Hoseok only patted Namjoon's back roughly and told him to stop joking. Joking!?

While they were in the middle of their conversation, you had finished up your business and cleaned up after yourself. You gave Hyelin a nod when you were done. The two of you started walking back over to the wagon to see you've missed quite a lot. Taehyung and Jimin holding each other, jumping as they cheered random words. Then your eyes went over to your husband. Putting your hand over your mouth, you felt tempted to laugh. It looked like Namjoon was incredibly flustered by Hoseok. Hyelin climbed into the wagon, asking the angels what she missed when Heeyeon and Jeonghwa started dying of laughter. Hyojin and Solji helped you up on the wagon, leaving you close to the King. You were interested in seeing him interact with Hoseok. After all, Namjoon once said he was working on making more male friends. This is a beautiful start!

Taehyung and Jimin eventually returned into the wagon when Jeonghwa told them it was time to get going. Those two listened, but not after giving her a playful glare. The moment those two found out they were the same age as the maknae of the angels, they quickly started teasing her like old friends. She didn't hesitate to give them their fair share of teases though. This all made you so happy. Hoseok got Happy to start walking again, the horse make little noises of joy as he pulled the wagon forward. Happy is so cute! You felt your chest bubble with warmth. This is exactly everything you wanted. Everyone was getting along and being friends with each other. Or at least working towards being friends.

"You need to stop calling the King your friend." Namjoon growled.

"But you said we were friends." Hoseok pouted.

"I never said that! You did!" Namjoon shook his head as you scooted closer to the two. Hoseok was about to start defending himself until he noticed you sit on the other side of him.

"I think you'll be a great friend for my husband, Hoseokie. Be persistent!" You motivated him. Hoseok gasped in joy, nodding his head in determination.

"I won't let you down, your Highness!" Hoseok shouted.

"Hoseokie? No, no. What is that!?" Namjoon growled. He didn't want to hear any of that, but you thought it was cute. Namjoon was getting all pink with jealousy until you gave him a quick kiss to calm him down. That only left him with his cheeks puffed up as the others got excited around him.

"Hyung made a friend!?" Jimin looked at Namjoon happily. "That means you're my friend too!!"

"That's not how it works—" Namjoon was ready to shake his head once more.

"He's my friend too! Isn't that right, your Majesty?" Taehyung gave Namjoon his square grin. The King took in a deep breath, doing his best to not let his eye twitch. He didn't have to say anything for those three to all consider themselves close friends to Namjoon. They might have been making him feel like he was going crazy, but you knew they would be good for him. You could only imagine how Seungwon would act to see Namjoon be so popular. You giggled to yourself as the angels all began to tease Namjoon. The King couldn't get any rest from all his friends. He was turning red especially when the older angels all began cooing at him and commenting on how grown up he's gotten. He didn't want to hear any of it as he groaned for them to stop.

Little giggles left you at the entire scene. It was fair to say you were doing better. A lot better than you were a month ago even though you were still hurting over what happened to Hwayoung. You miss her more than anything in the world. She was a piece of you and she deserved more. You wanted to have her be buried over at the capital, but you weren't sure if you wanted to disturb her body. She was resting there. She told you it would be okay, so you don't know. You don't always know what she wanted. This is when you wanted to have one more conversation with her. Though knowing you, you'd probably get greedy and want her forever. You'd want her to be alive again, but you can't keep living in the past. There were times where you still felt liking crying, but you were trying to be stronger. You were doing it for her after all.

Looking down at her hairpin, you admired the detail as you always did. It was the perfect representation of Hwayoung. She's a beautiful flower. You hope that in her next life she'll actually marry Seungwon and live the life she always wanted with him. One where Namjoon and you will also be there. A life with a happier ending. You also reminded yourself to not get too lost in the future or your daydreams either. Focus on what is happening now. Surrounded by loved ones who you considered family and friends who were getting to that level. Then you also had a little dumpling waiting to be born inside you. They were also another reason you were fighting. Just as much as Hwayoung. For the both of them.


	46. Long Live The New Dynasty

Ch.45

You've never been more impatient in your entire life. You couldn't recall a single moment for when you waited so badly for something to happen. Could anyone blame you? The rest were acting just like you. After a little over a month of traveling, you guys were finally arriving back to the capital. Happy has been working so hard and you were so grateful towards him. He's such a hardworking and good boy! You praised him every moment you could. It's been way too long since you've been at the capital. It won't be long before you're twenty one. You're also married with a baby on the way. Clearly, a lot has happened in the four to five months all of you have been gone. It's almost been half a year. That part still shocked you as you sat in the wagon with everybody.

Hoseok sat at the front of the wagon as always, holding the reins as Happy walked forward. Namjoon had his arm around your shoulders, taking a deep breath of the air around him. Being back almost felt foreign and right at the same time. You guys had barely gotten out of the forest and were now on the long dirt road back to the capital. Civilization was in the far distance, but you guys would all be there soon. Jimin was already cheering while Taehyung was meditating with Hyelin to mentally prepare himself for all the people. Last you checked, Hyelin doesn't know how to mediate. Jeonghwa tried telling Taehyung that only for him to shush her. Well, she tried.

Heeyeon was already hugging Hyojin tightly, relieved that all of you were finally arriving at the capital. All those months of traveling was pure torture. The entire experience was awful with only a few good outcomes. You didn't want to get too deep into it. You were currently storing up your energy to deal with something. For right now, you leaned against Namjoon with your hand on top of your bump. You were enjoying the moment for what it was. That's what Solji was doing as she sat at the very back of the wagon. She looked over all her angels and the King. The journey was over and you were all returning. It was too hard for her to be completely cheerful. As leader, she loved to see all her angels smiling but her heart would still ache anytime she thought of Hwayoung. It couldn't be helped.

All the angels and Namjoon wished this sweet return could be with Hwayoung. Everyone thought of her every day. It was impossible not to. Even though Hwayoung was quiet and kept to herself, all of you loved her. She impacted every single one of you. If there was one last thing you could tell Hwayoung, it would be for her to know that everyone loved her so much. She's important to all of you. You sighed to yourself, staring at Hwayoung's hairpin. Today was the last day that it would be held in your care. Namjoon and you weren't ready for the day that would occur today. You all arrived later than intended and without Lady Eunchae. Celebrating probably won't be the first thing people at the palace do.

It certainly won't be what Seungwon will do. You could barely imagine how he must be feeling as of now. Worried that he hasn't heard from any of you for months. He's been running the nation on his own, probably with multiple scholars and officers getting on his nerves when all he cares is if Hwayoung is okay. He might be thinking about Namjoon and wondering if he's getting along with Lady Eunchae. Another sigh left you as you turned over the hairpin in your hand. Namjoon stroked your hair before placing a kiss on your head. He could figure out what you were thinking. It's been bothering the both of you an equal amount. You've had your time to accept it like the others while it'll be fresh news to Seungwon. You weren't ready to relive that pain all over again.

But you had to. It's best if Seungwon hears it from Namjoon and you. No one else.

That didn't stop you from wanting to talk to someone else about it first. Namjoon didn't understand when you told him that you wanted to stop at the capital market first. It wasn't clear to him on why you would want to go there. Everyone was itching to stand in the palace. Either for the first time or just so they could feel at home again. That was the first and last time they would travel that far. Everyone was tired and you understood that perfectly well. You were exhausted from everything as well, but you needed to do something first. Namjoon was confused but went along with it for you. He leaned over and told Hoseok to make a stop at the capital market first. Then the palace.

"Capital market?" Hoseok asked as Happy let out a loud neigh. He saw his familiar surroundings, walking a lot faster in excitement. Hoseok tightened his grip on the reins as everyone held on a little tighter. "Jimin! Is that the same place that got us into this mess?"

"Hm?" Jimin stopped trying to distract Taehyung from mediating to look at his hyung. He hummed in thought, tapping his finger against his chin. "I think so."

"The market owned by Kim Seokjin," Namjoon said, hoping it would ring some bells.

"No idea who that guy is." Hoseok shrugged with an awkward smile. Namjoon let out an annoyed huff while you weren't too surprised. If they barely stayed in one place then of course they wouldn't be familiar with a random name attached to a place. They used to be thieves before this!

"It's okay, Hoseok. All I really need to do is talk to someone there." You smiled at him. It wasn't as bright as it could have been. You'll admit that and maybe Namjoon caught that subtle difference. You were feeling better these days. That was true, but what you were going to do...it would drain you. It'd probably bring you back to that night all over again. Today wasn't going to be your day and you were prepared for that. "I'll go by myself. The rest of you can just wait in the wagon."

"No, I'll go with you," Namjoon insisted. He was quick to tell you that he would tag along. You expected that from him, a sigh leaving you. It didn't help that the idea of going to the market caught the attention of Jimin and Taehyung. Jimin wanted to go too and would bring Taehyung with him. That left Hoseok tempted to enter. You wanted this to be a private thing, but that didn't really look possible at the moment. All of them were so ready to go besides the angels. They were all quiet as you looked over at them. If it weren't for that look on your face, they would have volunteered to go too. They didn't though thankfully as they promised to keep watch of the wagon and Happy. It would be a quick thing so there was no need for an angel.

You just sighed, accepting the men that were coming along with you. Even if they come, you plan to get privacy. It wasn't Taehyung, Jimin, or Hoseok you were worried about. They would most likely be walking around to see what they had there. It would be easy to be left alone with them. It was only your protective husband who also happened to be King of the entire nation you had to be worried about. You understand he loves and cares for you, but you do hope he doesn't interrupt this for you. It's important. The angels were letting you have this so you hope Namjoon will stand a fair distance away. Squeezing Hwayoung's hairpin, your knuckles were turning white as you all neared the capital.

Eventually Happy slowed down his pace as you all entered civilization. It was back to the overly populated capital, filled with all kinds of people. The familiar feeling was nice. You were surprised. The angels were all smiling to see the amount of life around them. They were leaning out of the wagon, waving way to close to people's faces and staring at everything intensely. A faint blush appeared on your cheeks, shaking your head at them. Taehyung was nervously shaking and holding onto Jimin's hand. Jimin made sure to comfort his friend who was overwhelmed with the amount of people in the capital. Namjoon gave Hoseok instructions, slowly making his way over to the capital market. That's when you saw the familiar building in your sight.

It stood tall and it hadn't changed the entire time you were gone. You thought maybe some of the wood would have been weathered, but no. The place was kept to its best state. The entrance doors were open to the public, giving you a view of the inside. It was time. Hoseok pulled back the reins as he got Happy to stop. The second the wagon stopped moving, you were working on getting out of the wagon. You had to go inside. Namjoon called after you, helping you get off immediately. He didn't know what was going on with you as you marched over to the market. He sighed, walking towards the market before looking over his shoulder to his new friends. Hoseok, Jimin, and Taehyung were slowly getting off the wagon when they met the King's impatient gaze.

"Are you call coming or what?" Namjoon barked.

"Wait for us!" Jimin giggled, pulling Taehyung over by his hand.

"Ah, I-I might fall!" Taehyung panicked.

"Don't worry, Namjoonie! I'm coming!" Hoseok chuckled as he ran over to the King. Namjoon froze to narrow his eyes on Hoseok. The thief only swung his arm around the King as if they were long time friends. "Hey, I'm only keeping your identity hush hush." Hoseok winked, earning a growl from Namjoon. That unfortunately didn't intimidate Hoseok who laughed and told Namjoon to stop messing around.

While those four were slowly making their way inside, you were already past the front. You were staring at the first couple vendors intensely. There were a few new stands, but you had your eyes focused on the mysterious tent. The same one you entered months ago. It felt as if Hwayoung's hairpin was burning in your grip. You took in a deep breath as you marched towards the tent. As you were walking there with eyes ready for war, two familiar pair of eyes landed on you. The older staring at you curiously while the much younger wanting to reach out and say hi. The younger only paused when they noticed you with a bump. Did you always have that there? The two looked at each other, not knowing what to say to one another.

You weren't an aggressive person. Maybe you knew how to fight and it used to be exciting for you, but that wasn't the case anymore. Hwayoung's death changed you, but that didn't apply at the moment. Your eyes had fire behind them as you stared at the man sitting behind his wooden desk. He flinched to see someone had entered his tent all of a sudden. He looked up at you when everything just started to hit you. This man who called himself Yoongi, telling you things that you should have taken a little more seriously. This man who claimed he 'fixed' fate for you in order for it to be less bloody and...less bloody? What happened in Lady Eunchae's courtyard was a f*cking massacre!

"You!" You shouted, your eyes already stinging. It didn't take long for your eyes to be burning and have water building up. They wanted to fall, but you wouldn't let them. Not with everything you had to say. You couldn't break down in front of him just yet. "Who do you think you are!?" You slammed your hands on the table. Yoongi leaned back in his seat, witnessing how upset you were. Breathing heavy with a red face and tears ready. Yoongi stayed silent as he looked you over, a small smile tugging on his lips. A smile?

"I see everything has gone according to plan." Yoongi stood up, clapping his hands. Was he applauding himself? You couldn't believe this man. A scoff left you as he whistled to go around his desk. "A baby on the way, married to the King, and oh! My bad..." Yoongi bowed down to you. "How was your trip back, your Highness?"

"Y-You know?" You pointed your finger at him before your arm went limp. Yoongi raised his body again, having the audacity to smile at you. Did he know everything? You began to grit your teeth out of frustration. Of course he knew everything! He knew you would marry Namjoon! He knew you would become Queen and that it would be bloody! He knew Hwayoung was going to... "I need answers from you."

"I'm ready to give them to you." Yoongi shrugged as if he didn't have a care in the world. He was a lot more relaxed than you wanted him to be. He should be trembling in fear or something! You placed your hand on your hip only to realize you didn't have your belt on anymore. It's been a month and the habit of reaching for your sword finally slipped out. Gripping the clothing at your side, you let out a shaky breath.

"Did you know Hwayoung would die?" You asked as his lips thinned. Yoongi looked to the side, taking in a deep breath. He was wondering how he should phrase this. Either in a way that was easier for him or for you.

"I knew." He decided to be straight forward about it. His words made your legs feel wobbly. Yoongi said it so easily as if it didn't matter. As if he was just telling you what day of the week it was. You felt like falling over as you became lightheaded. Taking a step to the side, you leaned against the desk next to you.

"If you knew t-then why? WHY!?" You screamed. Yoongi stared at you without flinching. He didn't even blink. Was he human? "Why the hell would you let her die like that!? You didn't warn m-me and you said you were going to make it l-less bloody!"

"Because I did, your Highness. That was as clean as it was going to get," Yoongi stated with his eyes on your trembling form. His stare felt so cold with little sympathy attached to them. "Hwayoung was meant to die. If she didn't back there then it would have occurred differently. She only had twenty years. That's all Fate gave her."

"You're lying!!" You were quick to scream at him. You stepped forward to kick Yoongi's shin, getting him to hiss from the attack. With all the commotion going on inside the tent, Namjoon listened closely. He couldn't find you when he first stepped into the market and then Seokjin and Jungkook were looking off at the tent in concern. "I could have protected her!"

"No, you couldn't!" Yoongi rubbed his shin, standing on one leg. "I'm sorry, but Fate had it set. You were going to end up with the King no matter what and Hwayoung was going to die. How it all happened could be played with!"

"And what does that mean!?" You grabbed the collars of his hanbok. You don't care if you have a pregnant belly that's over three months in size. You will make Yoongi regret meeting you.

"If I didn't intervene the way I did then this is how things would have gone. Lady Eunchae and the King would have married, but your love for the King would still be mutual. A full blown affair would occur and she would try to kill you! Or the life where the King makes you his royal concubine, but then tries to give you more. The King and you would plan a revolt against Lady Eunchae!" Yoongi huffed. "There's also where Lady Eunchae would try to surprise attack the palace with her own men to kill the King and you. I gave you a life where you get to be with your lover even if it didn't happen perfectly! The both of you get to live in this ending!"

"Don't act as if I owe you anything!" You raised your hand up in a fist. "Thanks for nothing!"

"Lady Eunchae would have destroyed the nation if she became Queen!" Yoongi shouted before scrunching up his face. He tried leaning his head back as if that would make the punch hurt any less. You were getting ready to swing when the tent curtains opened. The sudden light entering the dark space blinded you. Yoongi and you were separated immediately which you didn't want. You were being pulled out of the tent by Namjoon. He held you back as you threw your arms. Maybe you should stab him with Hwayoung's hairpin! Your tears slipped as you watched Seokjin hold Yoongi, Jungkook looking at the two of you in confusion. He's lucky there's a little boy here.

"What's going on?" Jungkook asked innocently.

"Something between adults, Kookie," Seokjin whispered. Jungkook frowned to have that be the answer. Why couldn't he know the truth? He pouted when Hoseok and Jimin came around the corner with Taehyung. They all stopped in their tracks for different reasons. Taehyung noticed you crying again and being held back while Hoseok and Jimin remembered Yoongi.

"H-Hey! It's that b*stard!" Hoseok pointed at Yoongi. The fortune teller only scoffed, rolling his eyes at the kind words being thrown at him.

"It is!" Jimin gasped, looking over at Namjoon. "This is the guy who told us to go rob you guys!"

"This guy, huh?" Namjoon began to glare at Yoongi. Finally someone who intimidated Yoongi stepped into the picture. The King was less than pleased. He was robbed because of this stranger and not only that, but he made his wife cry. That's not something that can be forgiven. Taehyung rushed over to help hold you. Sniffling, you watched Namjoon walk over to Yoongi with a scowl. His glare was enough to make Yoongi silent. The King stood tall, staring down at Yoongi with a gaze that told him that the King would have his limbs torn apart one by one for making his woman cry. "You're the fortune teller?"

"Y-Yes," Yoongi answered as Seokjin frowned.

"Ah, your Majesty, he's annoying! I understand, but please don't harm him! I'll keep him under control!" Seokjin pleaded. His desperate tone wasn't enough to make Namjoon change his views. He was ready to snap his fingers and have Hyojin deal with Yoongi. But Jungkook stared at the two with an anxious feeling in his little chest. Jungkook rushed to grab onto Namjoon's leg, shocking the King.

"Please forgive Samchon! We're sorry!" Jungkook begged. He had big black eyes that reminded Namjoon of a deer. It was hard to look away. D*mn. Namjoon's jaw tightened, feeling his heart get swayed by the young boy. He was going to be a father in a couple months so this wasn't helping in the slightest. A heavy sigh left Namjoon as he faced Yoongi.

"Then use your abilities to help me." Namjoon crossed his arms. Yoongi's eyes widened, shaking his head immediately. Yoongi wanted nothing to do with the royal family which got a growl out of Namjoon. "Fine. Then I'll take this boy when he becomes thirteen and train him to be a solider for me."

"W-What!?" Yoongi yelled.

"My Jungkookie!?" Seokjin paled, ready to kill Yoongi himself. Jungkook looked up at the King with a calmer attitude. Solider? A small smile appeared on his face that was returned by Namjoon's dimpled one.

"That sounds fun!" Jungkook giggled.

"No! You don't know what you're talking about!" Seokjin hugged his son.

"Kookie!!" Yoongi joined the desperate hug. Those two men clung onto the confused child, refusing to let him go. Namjoon sighed to himself as he looked back over at you and Taehyung. He's done enough. He snapped his fingers, the two thieves following the King as he linked arms with you again.

Taehyung told you to take it easy before running onto the wagon with Jimin. Those two took their seats while Hoseok walked at a slower pace as the King and you. They both helped you onto the wagon, the angels quiet to see that familiar face. You had just finished crying. It was one that made their hearts ache. Namjoon wrapped his arms around you as Hoseok whipped the reins again, leading Happy towards the palace. You kept your head buried in Namjoon's chest, frustrated that you didn't get the answers that you wanted. There wasn't much you could do though. It was too late. That's what was making it hurt all over again.

Namjoon rubbed your back as he kept watch on his surroundings. The palace walls were growing taller the closer the wagon came to it. It felt like the first time in Namjoon's life that he missed the palace. He was genuinely happy to see it again. The wagon got closer to the main gate, getting suspicious looks from palace guards until they noticed the familiar faces. The angels were waving at them and then their King sat in the wagon. Their mouths dropped, amusing Namjoon. Once the wagon was stopped at the main gates, Hoseok looked back at Namjoon. The guards walked over to see the King who only gave them a quiet nod. They were stunned. They immediately let you all in as the news traveled through the palace. Ladies of the court and eunuchs gasped to see the King had returned with his angels and a few strangers. There was no sight of Lady Eunchae. What was going on?

It was easily becoming the talk of the palace. Namjoon couldn't care as he had a guard lead Hoseok, Jimin, and Taehyung to where they kept the horses. Namjoon would catch up with them later to discuss housing and jobs. For now, he wanted to rest, but he knew he wouldn't get that for a while. Even as he made it home, there was still one last job to do. Namjoon walked with you by his side and the five other angels walking behind him when he stopped in the middle of the courtyard. He looked up at the top of the stone stairs to see Seungwon. His best friend. The King smiled up at him, missing Seungwon a lot more than he originally thought.

Seungwon was told by servants that the King had finally come back home. He couldn't believe it. It didn't sound true to him at first, but he needed to see it to believe. Now there they were in front of him. Seungwon started running down the stairs in pure joy and relief. He thought something had happened to them. He feared they were attacked in the mountains or lost for whatever reason. Seungwon made sure to take care of everything for Namjoon though. He made him proud. As Seungwon stood in front of you and Namjoon, he gave you all a big grin until he noticed the bump you had. You weren't wearing any armor either and you were standing by Namjoon's side rather than behind him. Seungwon blinked as his eyes looked behind Namjoon. He thought it was strange that his own woman hadn't run up into his arms or even caught his attention somehow. Then he saw it.

Hwayoung's hairpin.

"Namjoon..." Seungwon's eyes were wide as he felt a heavy pressure on his chest. The male looked up at his friend, breathing harsher than he wanted. "W-What is going on?"

"Seungwon, take slower breaths for me." Namjoon placed his hands on Seungwon's shoulders. He didn't want to do this. You closed your eyes tightly, feeling the pain all over again. It hung heavily in the air as everyone relived it as if it were yesterday.

"Why isn't Lady Eunchae here a-and why is (F/n) pregnant? And wh-where is Hwayoung?" Seungwon's eyes were immediately filled with tears. Your head hung low as Namjoon stayed silent. He didn't know how to say it. The words were caught in his throat despite trying to plan it out in his head. Seungwon started shaking his head at the King. "Please tell me she's hiding. Is she putting away the h-horses?"

"I'm sorry, Seungwon..." Namjoon's grip tightened on his shoulders. "She died protecting (F/n)."

And those words were all it took to shatter Seungwon.

You brought your hand up to your mouth, weeping all over again. Seungwon wasn't seeing straight anymore as he fell onto his knees. He couldn't hold himself up anymore. His worst nightmare came true. Hwayoung wasn't here to embrace him. He couldn't kiss her face and tell her that he loved her more than anything. It's been months of hoping to see her again only for it to turn out like this. Seungwon was shaking as he let himself break down in front of the King. He was sobbing, the tears rushing out as he tried to deny what happened to her. He wanted to believe this wasn't true, but then what other explanation would there be? No one would ever be as cruel as to make this be a joke.

Seungwon let his head rest against the stone floor beneath him. He could barely get himself off the ground. His hands had curled into fists as he incoherently begged for Hwayoung to come back to him. It was painful sight for Namjoon to witness. It only reminded you of yourself. You know exactly what this feeling was like. Healing isn't going to be easy. Certainly not alone. Going down on your knees, you helped lift up Seungwon so he could see you. He was confused until you held out Hwayoung's hairpin to him. It's been waiting to get back in his hands.

"Hwayoung said that she still loved you so much...and she hopes to marry you in the next life." You swallowed hard, placing it in his palm. You didn't need it to hold you together anymore. It should help him from now on.

"M-My Flower..." Seungwon stared down at the hairpin, holding it tightly for dear life. You wiped your own face before wrapping your arms around Seungwon. He needed a hug. He continued to cry out on the courtyard. Namjoon bent down to join the hug as the angels pulled their swords from their scabbards. They sniffled, their eyes stinging as they held their swords up to the sky to honor Hwayoung.

It wasn't an easy first day back in the palace. It was filled with a lot of sorrow and mourning. No one celebrated the King's return like they had planned. There was no Lady Eunchae for the servants to bow to. Instead there was you. Everyone in the palace was stunned when they found out Namjoon's shadow was pregnant with his child. They were speechless and lost it when they proceeded to learn that Namjoon already married you while he was gone. You didn't care what they thought, but you did appreciate Seungwon's congratulations. He was suffering through his own things at the moment but was able to smile for you and Namjoon. He was able to be happy for the both of you though you hope he'll find his own his happiness again. Whatever that might be.

Namjoon spent the first day back with Seungwon. He wasn't going to leave him alone. After a month of taking care of you, he felt qualified to help Seungwon get through it. It wasn't going to be a fast recovering, but Seungwon wasn't alone. That was the important thing for him to remember. While Namjoon took care of his friend, that left you with trying to get your new friends settled. Taehyung had already decided to make Jimin his assistant. They would be your physician as you have this baby and from now on. You appreciated it a lot. That only left Hoseok without a job. He didn't seem to have his eye on anything and when you asked if he wanted to become a physician, he only complained on how that was a lot of work. Well, he can't go around doing nothing. That's when you brought up becoming an eunuch in a cheerful tone and Hoseok paled immediately, covering his crotch in fear. That looks like a no. You'll figure it out soon.

It wouldn't hurt to put that on hold. A lot of things were being put on hold. The celebration of the King's return and all the things the King's royal court wanted to catch him up on. That was all shoved away so Namjoon could be there with Seungwon. The angels handled some business before they came up to you with palace women. Lovely. You were brought over to the Queen's chamber, looking around awkwardly. This is where you would be staying from now on? It was really spacious that it made you almost miss the cramped quarters already with the bunk beds. Though you suppose going back there now just might make you emotional. This is for the best.

The angels were quick to take away the royal garments from the palace women. There was already tension between them and a full day hasn't even passed. You sighed heavily, knowing not much could be changed about that. The ladies of the court were being careful now that you were Queen. You could tell they didn't like it, but it's not like they could say anything. The angels were already dressing you in your royal robes. It felt strange having people dress you. It almost made you want to laugh, but you kept your composure as you stood in the beautiful dress. Solji immediately took it upon herself to brush your hair and put it in a new tight bun. Then your hairpin was snuggly placed in it.

"Wow...you're the Queen." Hyelin looked you up and down.

"It doesn't feel like it...sort of." You giggled. It was near impossible to feel normal while being dressed like this.

"I just want you to know that I'm sorry for all the times I teased you when we were younger," Heeyeon started off. You were quick to roll your eyes at her. That was the least of you worries at this point and she knew that. She smiled at you with a fond look in her eyes.

"You grew up into a beautiful woman, (F/n)." Hyojin stepped up to you with a red paint in her hand. She lightly tapped your lips before pulling away. "You'll be the best Queen that Goguryeo has ever seen."

"Thank you." Your voice was soft as Hyojin gently cupped your cheek.

"I'm so happy the King fell in love with you." Jeonghwa had her hands clasped together. "The two of you are so adorable together."

"I'm glad you think so." You giggled at the little sigh Jeonghwa let out. There was a light blush on your cheeks as Solji walked around you to face you properly. The rest of the angels lined up with her which made you take a step forward until you remembered. You're not an angel anymore. Solji seemed to notice that, chuckling at it.

"Old habits." Solji shrugged before taking in a deep breath as she bowed low for you. The rest of the angels did the same. It could have taken your breath away. It was strange to have your friends, people you considered sisters, bowing to you so formally like this. "Hwayoung would have been happy to see you like this right now."

"Thank you..." You smiled. Your eyes went to the floor, thinking about your best friend. How would she be reacting to all this? The smile on your face grew the slightest bit. You miss her. "Speaking of Hwayoung, we should go meet with Namjoon and Seungwon."

"Yes, your Majesty." Solji bowed once more with the rest of the angels.

You walked over to the doors, ready to open them yourself until servants did it for you. The angels giggled behind you as you ignored them. It's fine! The embarrassed blush on your cheeks was slowly fading. The angels walked with you in the direction that Namjoon and Seungwon were supposedly at. According to the angels, Namjoon wanted to have a little moment to honor Hwayoung tonight. You immediately thought that was a lovely idea. It was the evening now with the sun getting close to setting. Walking up to the steps to the royal courtroom, you were able to look over the entire courtyard. Then there stood Namjoon and Seungwon. They were speaking quietly when you arrived with all the angels behind you.

It was still tough on you to see how Seungwon was doing. His eyes were red, puffy with how much he's been crying. It looked like Namjoon had gotten him to stop though. Seungwon was taking slow breaths while Namjoon was telling him about Hwayoung during the trip. How she would blush at just the mention of his name. She was so easily flustered and just as in love with him as he was with her. Namjoon would have released them of their titles. They would have had their happy ending. Seungwon's heart was aching, but he was making an effort to catch his breath again. Once the two heard the extra people around them, they quickly looked over. Namjoon was in awe as Seungwon wiped his eyes in surprise.

Appearing in this dress must have been shocking to them. Namjoon took a step towards you, revealing a lantern that had been hiding behind him. There was a floral pattern on it so you knew that was meant for Hwayoung. The rest of the angels bowed towards Namjoon as he came up to you. He took a hold of your hands, squeezing them tightly with his own hands. Today has been an emotionally exhausting day for everyone. It wasn't over yet. You glanced over at Seungwon who weakly brought his hand up to wave at you, giving the smallest smile you've ever seen.

"You look beautiful, my Queen," Seungwon said.

"I agree." Namjoon pecked your lips.

"Thank you for the compliments." You bashfully smiled before looking over at Seungwon again. He had picked up the lantern, placing it on his lap. You noticed he had pinned Hwayoung's hairpin near the collar of his coat. It was placed on top of his heart. Namjoon and you walked over to him, staring at him sympathetically. "Are you ready to light the lantern?"

"I'm...ready." Seungwon took in a deep breath. This was to honor Hwayoung. She deserved something in honor for her.

Namjoon grabbed the lantern, holding it up as Solji walked over with a match. She handed it over to Seungwon after giving him a strong hug. All of you were familiar with what he was feeling. None of you were truly over it either. Seungwon clutched the match, blinking to himself in hopes that no more tears would come out. Everyone was patient with the young master. He'll get as much time as he needs. Seungwon got a little nod from Namjoon, the advisor walking up to the lantern. He carefully lit the match as he placed it underneath the lantern. Once the small candle wick was lit, the lantern began to glow and blow itself out. The King let Seungwon hold it so he could release it. All of you came around Seungwon as he held the lantern out to the dark courtyard.

"I will always love you, Hwayoung." Seungwon gently kissed the lantern before letting it go. It slowly went higher up into the sky. Seungwon stared at it for the longest time, not looking away even as it turned into a tiny glowing dot. It began to blend with the stars in the sky. The angels had their heads down with their eyes closed. They were making their own prayers for Hwayoung. You stood next to Namjoon when Seungwon finally turned around to face the King. He swallowed, bowing his head to the two of you. "Namjoon, I know...this is selfish of me to ask, but...may I still be released of my duties?"

"Would that make you happier?" Namjoon asked, trying not to frown. He didn't want his own emotions about the situation to influence Seungwon. He could see the pained aura around his best friend.

"I just...I can't anymore." Seungwon shuddered, shaking his head. Namjoon nodded at his words. He didn't need to hear any more.

"You're free, Seungwon." Namjoon walked over to hug his friend again.

"A-And may I know where Hwayoung was buried? I'd like to go there." Seungwon had his arms loose by his sides. It was a hard thing to accept. Namjoon complied with telling him that it was near Lady Eunchae's town. In the woods, not too far from civilization. Seungwon nodded his head as Namjoon slowly pulled away from the hug.

"You can live in my old home. It's in the woods a bit near her grave," Taehyung's voice came into the conversation. Eyes traveled over to the male, watching him walk up the steps with Jimin and Hoseok behind him. Seungwon blinked at them before smiling and bowing to him.

"Thank you so much. I'm forever grateful." Seungwon kept a smile on his face even with his cheeks twitching to turn into a frown. He silently wept again before Namjoon hugged him once more. You turned to face the angels, requesting that they get a wagon set up for Seungwon to prepare him for the travel he has ahead of him. They bowed and ran off to fulfill your order. So many things have changed. For better or worse, you're not quite sure.

*~*

A year has passed since that entire trip that was a blessing and disaster. There were still so many mixed emotions from it, but you were living in the present. The only time you looked back on the past was to remember Hwayoung. You wanted her to know that she was still special to your heart and that you miss her. Then when you look forward to the future, that's mainly you wondering what you're precious baby will be like. Will they be a strong leader like their father? Friendly and outgoing like you? Or will they be more of their own person? Whatever they grow up to be, you couldn't wait for it all. So much has happened in this entire year that it was insane.

Namjoon and you had turned twenty one already. That meant Hwayoung would have been twenty one too. You sang the birthday song for her when it was her special day. Along with you guys though, Hoseok was the first to turn twenty one seeing as he was born in the same year. He's been doing a lot better ever since he's started living and working at the palace. There was no job that interested him at first, but eventually a spot opened up. Namjoon made Hoseok his royal advisor which was working out surprisingly well. The two of you were questioning it a lot considering Hoseok's past, but he was a good choice for the job. One that even Seungwon could approve of.

Speaking of Seungwon, he was still living and doing better. He lived in the shack where Taehyung used to stay. That's what he considered home now. A lot more humble than he was used to, but it didn't matter. Seungwon visited Hwayoung's grave every day and made sure to have a beautiful garden of flowers surrounding her. He was living a peaceful and quiet life with her. Seungwon did make sure to keep a promise with the King though. He'll visit the palace at least once a year. He wasn't so sure he wanted to do it until you mentioned that you renovated the old pond. That caught his interest when he learned what you did with it.

The old pond was Hwayoung's favorite spot in the entire palace. It was always a mystery to you on why she liked it. The plants were dead, the water was murky, and the fish looked weird. They just did. But you've had it taken care of. The water was clear with healthy fish and thriving plants. The bridge was brand new now instead of the rotting wood that was barely holding itself up. Seungwon visited about a month ago which meant he wouldn't be coming back until another year. He was at the old pond for Hwayoung's birthday. He loved what you did with it. Seungwon was speechless, tearing up and smiling. He knew Hwayoung would have been ecstatic.

It meant a lot that he carried Hwayoung still so close to him. Seungwon always had her old hairpin with him. He considered it his lucky charm. As long as he had it with him, Hwayoung was watching over him and he was safe. Namjoon and you were happy he was doing better though Namjoon did ask Seungwon if he would ever consider marrying in the future with another woman. Seungwon immediately shut the idea down. Seungwon told the both of you with a smile that he's already found the woman meant for him in life. No one else could ever compare. It about melted your heart and you wished to tease Hwayoung about it. He's still in love with her as ever. You could just imagine Hwayoung blushing heavily at how much of a romantic Seungwon is.

You remember that moment so clearly. It was his first time seeing what the new pond looked like. It was now named after Hwayoung. You felt that was fitting and Seungwon agreed with you right away. He had tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at the scenery in front of him. Seungwon's love for Hwayoung was strong as ever. He let out a shaky breath, smiling at all the things you did for your best friend. His lover. His one and only. Seungwon looked healthy though which made Namjoon and you happy. He just had a small beard now which was interesting to you.

"It's beautiful, (F/n). Thank you." Seungwon didn't pull his eyes away from the pond. "I bet Hwayoung would have loved it."

"It means the world hearing that from you." You smiled, bringing your hands up to your chest. You were extremely emotional when the conversation was about Hwayoung for obvious reasons. Namjoon stood by your side, arm wrapped around your shoulders as the two of you watched Seungwon. He was lightly humming a tune sang on most birthdays just for his special flower.

"Seungwon...I know this is poor timing, but I have a question." Namjoon cleared his throat as Seungwon chuckled. "I just wanted to know since you'll be leaving first thing in the morning."

"Fine, Namjoon. I'll give you advice. What is it?" Seungwon's tone was playful. Immediately your husband scoffed but was smiling. The familiar playful banter making his appreciation for Seungwon grow.

"Not advice! Listen to me...I just...it's good to see you doing better," Namjoon said. "I know you love Hwayoung, but...do you ever think you would search for love again? Marry another woman eventually?" He asked, leaving you shocked. You were instantly worried that his question would make Seungwon furious, but he stayed calm. He only took a deep breath before shaking his head.

"I already met the love of my life. I found my soulmate and that's that. No other woman could compare." Seungwon smiled before whistling the familiar tune you hadn't heard in a long time. The whistle that meant 'I love you'. And maybe it was just you getting caught up in emotions from the moment, but you could have sworn the wind whistled the tune back to complete the song.

At least he's doing good. The rest of the angels are doing well too. Solji had a discussion with Namjoon about possibly disbanding the Guardian Angel system though. It hurt you to hear that, but Namjoon was considering it. A less restricting system was appealing more to Namjoon by the days. Hyojin was still feared as ever, but she turned to her more gentle interests that didn't involve blood. She took up sewing as a hobby which was a cute contrast. As for Heeyeon, she seemed to return to studying again. Hyelin took up cooking and Jeonghwa was trying to get herself out there with men. Though she was often teased by Jimin and Taehyung for having poor taste in men. You couldn't say they were wrong about that. But they were all doing well.

Taehyung learned some extra lessons from Solji's father and had Jimin by his side. Those two were close as ever and became qualified physicians in everyone's eyes. You would hope so. After all, they were the ones who assisted you when you gave birth. That was...a hard time. A lot of pain, crying, screaming, and sweat and you were completely exhausted after it all. Though the moment you heard your baby cry, all of that was forgotten. You got to hold your beautiful baby boy who easily became your entire world in that second. Namjoon felt the same, the two of you finally becoming parents just a few months ago. The baby was only a couple months old. He was adorable though and you adored him.

"Hello, my baby." You moved your index finger in front of him. His name was Minjun. He was still so small and chubby at the same time. Just staring at him made you heart swell with an immense amount of love. Minjun grabbed onto your finger, making little sounds of joy. Just like Happy.

"Is he ready?" Namjoon's voice greeted your ears. He stepped into the Crown Prince's chamber in his ceremonial robes. You were in your own ceremonial gown since today was the special day to celebrate the Crown Prince with everyone in the capital.

"He's ready." You nodded, adjusting the little head piece that kept falling off Minjun's head. Namjoon walked over next to you to stare down at your beautiful baby boy. His eyes were just like Namjoon's. Honestly, if he gets looks like his father then it's over for women. "Doesn't he look cute?"

"Minjun looks like a fierce little guy." Namjoon held his hand up in a fist. Minjun only had a spit bubble coming out of his mouth, staring cluelessly at his father. "Well...we're getting to the fierce part." Namjoon grabbed a handkerchief, wiping Minjun's face up a bit.

"Or a gentle future King." You shrugged, hearing Namjoon chuckle. The two of you stared happily at Minjun, not wanting to leave from your spots. Sometimes just admiring him was all you wanted to do. "The future King leading the Kim Dynasty."

"I don't think so." Namjoon shook his head as you raised a brow. "The Kim Dynasty isn't what it used to be. Not that I care to keep traditions or pure blood. It's better this way. The Yeon Dynasty."

"Yeon?" You laughed quietly. "I don't know about that." You leaned down to pick Minjun up in your arms. He was staring up at you with big eyes as you walked over to the balcony to get some fresh air.

"Then what else would we name it?" Namjoon followed after you. Slowly, you pulled your eyes away from Minjun to look back at Namjoon. You hummed in thought, but nothing was truly sticking. Namjoon started to laugh when you were silent for longer than a minute. It wasn't your fault! You huffed as the two of you stood on the balcony with Minjun. The Crown Prince's chamber which got the view of Hwayoung's pond. Namjoon wrapped his arms around you, kissing your cheek as he moved you in front of him. "We'll name it eventually." Namjoon rested his head on top of yours, the two of you back to staring at Minjun. "Something Minjun can carry on."

"He'll become a great King just like you. He'll lead a new dynasty that will be remembered." You leaned back against Namjoon, the two of you smiling softly at the little Crown Prince. He has quite the future ahead of him. So many people watching over him as he grows day by day. Namjoon and you looked back out at Hwayoung's pond, smiling in content. He'll do well. _"Long Live The New Dynasty."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be posting my author's note later.


	47. || Author's Note ||

We have finally reached the end to another story! That's crazy to me since I remember when I finished Warehouse and I was scrambling to write Era just so I could have another BTS story. Now I have five in total! It seems I tend to write two stories a year? I think that's the average with the length. Honestly, I appreciate everyone's patience with my writing methods and for showing me support even when you don't see the work right away. Thank you so much for reading Long Live The New Dynasty and for all the comments, votes, and love. It's been quite the roller coaster, hasn't it?

I think it's only appropriate that I talk about Hwayoung's death first.

I didn't want to do it. I was so sad when the time came. I remember first writing her appearance, how she shows up magically on a horse with news and it felt strange at first knowing that I was writing a character who wouldn't live to see the end. Eventually I just stopped thinking of it like that, but knowing her death would happen, I made sure to take the chance to give Hwayoung her special moments. Gosh, I cried writing her death scene. I felt so awful. It was like a movie playing in my head and I had to catch up and write it all down. There really is no other way around it. I know I'm the author and I could technically not have killed her off but...I just couldn't imagine her finishing the journey together with you all. I wrote the story the way it was meant to be told. So in my defense, I had no control over anything lmao.

I will say that I was extremely nervous as we headed towards the end. I knew you guys would begin to feel sour towards Hwayoung for not exactly accepting it right away. I was just hoping that you all would understand that just because she doesn't necessarily agree or accept it right away, that doesn't mean she's a bad person. I hoped I proved her character enough before her death for you all to know she's a good person. And Reader had her flaws too. No one was perfect in their last fight before it all went down.

It's a historical drama au though so someone was bound to die. All I know is that The King in Love/The King Loves (whatever title is goes by) really killed me. That kdrama is my favorite and I was a snot ball towards the end. I suffered and so here we are with my own pain on a platter.

But yes, as you can see from above that drama inspired me. Plus I also tend to like historical dramas? I don't know, I just think they're so interesting but I am currently taking a break from historical dramas lol. I need a minute to relax. I'm also trying to watch more anime again since I've been giving kdramas more attention, but we'll see. It seems like I do what I want. Well, I guess I'll talk about my writing process with the story. As always, I write a majority of it before posting a single chapter and that was interesting this time around. Another writing moment occurred for me? I don't know what to call it. I don't think miracle is the right word. So basically when I was writing Era, I was struggling to write a single chapter with how busy I was with theatre but then fires in California happened and so I got two weeks off school and managed to write a lot more chapters and become less stressed. Then this time around, towards the end of my senior year with me doing more theatre activities, intermediate dance, and running clubs, I thought I wouldn't reach halfway through Dynasty until May but then...well I'm sure you're familiar with what's going on with the world. I'm not able to do the things I had hoped so it left me super gloomy and unmotivated with school at least. I had control over my writing so I made sure to write more. That made me happy.

Trust me, I was not having a good time when I found out school was cancelled. I'm sure I was a sad sight to my family and honestly I do get pretty gloomy about it still if I think about it too much. I don't know if the way I'm currently coping with it is healthy, but we're rolling with it. Lol as long as I get to write then that's all I need.

Okay! So let's talk about the symbolism in this story! My favorite part! There's still so many things that I want to point out from the story. Hwayoung's name itself holds meaning and connects with her family emblem as her name can mean beautiful flower or just beautiful and flower. Chrysanthemums can symbolize death and the color pink didn't really mean anything aside from me associating the color pink with Hwayoung. I hope you all noticed the attention to the flower in the vase. Just Reader noticing it, comparing it to Hwayoung, then it falls over and later on Reader accidentally steps on it. Reader's family emblem was of a little bird, considered a dove. Doves are peace and love. Maybe I'm forgetting some things but here are the main ones off the top of my head. There was mainly a lot of foreshadowing though to be honest. Probably the most I've ever written into a story I think.

Pears: Comfort and affection

Plums: Life transitions and hope

Peaches: Well, peach trees are seen as the tree of life and peaches itself hint at unity, wedding. Just hinting at the future and foreshadowing with this one. Beliefs around the peach are kinda all over the place like most fruits but they're all pretty positive.

But one thing I do want to mention is the little poem section when Namjoon confessed his love to Reader and when Reader confessed too! Okay, so that part was inspired by Shakespeare. His works were a huge inspiration, not gonna lie. He's always just kinda been there in my life and now that I'm a senior, well I read Hamlet and loved it. I was going to but it's now cancelled, be in the school play which was A Midsummer Night's Dream. And I also just love Romeo and Juliet. Act 1, Scene 5 in particular of Romeo and Juliet inspired me. When Romeo first meets Juliet, their first interaction is a sonnet. Their words rhyme together and flow with one another's. One thing Shakespeare was known for was his iambic pentameter which is usually abab cdcd efef gg. The way he writes is often having stressed and unstressed words placed together. It's meant to sound like the beating of a heart. That's what I wanted to portray with the love confession of Namjoon and Reader's. Their heart beating as they became vulnerable as they speak together, their heartbeat and breath become one. Then the heartbeat/breath stops when Reader broke out of the trance the first time. I wanted it to feel as if your own heart was racing as you read it.

That was the hope at least. I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic so asdfghjkl. I don't know. It was interesting getting the English class perspective on Shakespeare's writing and then the Theatre version. Not gonna lie though, I prefer Theatre's interpretation more seeing as it's meant to be performed and not just read but to each their own I guess. I'm a tHesPiAn. Lmao I don't think many of you will get that, but it's alright.

This is the first story I've had where they become a couple in the middle of the story. That was interesting to write, but also fun. Honestly though...I'm more proud of the beginning and end of this story. The middle still disappoints me. I don't know. I felt like it could have been better but I did what I could. I just really wanted a story where an unplanned pregnancy occurs because to be honest...those aRE MY FAVORITE OML. I love reading fanfictions where Reader gets pregnant, tries to hide it from the dude or tells him (either is fine), and then the aftermath of her thinking she'll be a single mother or the dude trying to insert himself into both of their lives. Like sis...I love the drama of it all. We need more pregnancy stories.

Now here's where things get a little serious. I want to talk about the lack of females in my BTS stories. Like I don't really have any supportive female roles. They've always either been moms or random hoes at school. I've never made like a female best friend for Reader. I always felt hesitant towards it because well...I'm going to be honest here. From my years of writing fanfiction, I've noticed that it's harder for female characters to be well received. Much less if they're not already existing. There's something about them having a vagina that makes the insecure see them as an enemy. Now don't get me wrong, that's not really their fault. Female antagonists do exist as we saw with Lady Eunchae, but truthfully women shouldn't naturally be your enemy. I feel like people are so used to the mean girl that y'all just don't trust any of them. Especially when they have traits that we often see portrayed negatively like blonde, makeup, aware of their attractiveness, and sexually active. But I wanted to break out of that little fear of mine that was just baseless. I should write more female characters. Not willy nilly though. They need to have importance lol. But just know that I will make an attempt in the future. I think I did well and I felt safe with EXID already existing. Hwayoung was my fictional test subject and I really did like her. Maybe I'm not as attached to her as I was with Hoon-ssi and Daeho (Daeho was something else guys aaaaaah), but I appreciated her for everything she was and do miss her a lot plus regret what I did to her. She deserved better and so did Seungwon.

Speaking of EXID, I want to talk about them real quick! Okay, so they're my favorite girl group! I just love them and all their songs. They're all practically crackheads at times. They're down to earth too and really just feel natural to me. Plus, they pull the sexy concept so well without even trying. My bias is LE (Ahn Hyojin) because I love her voice and she's such a good rapper. She writes and produces so many songs oml I love her?? Then my bias wrecker is Heo Solji because her VOICE. HER VOICE MY GUYS. Y'all need to watch a Solji best live vocals video or even just her singing Maria on Masked Singer. She's literally won it twice like what a Queen. Lover her hehe. Honestly they're all so talented and hilarious. I suggest watching them sing Hot Pink drunk. It's a magical experience. I hope to those who already stan that you were excited to see the girls and enjoyed reading them in my story. If you don't stan, I hope I opened your eyes to a new group and it wouldn't hurt to listen to one of their songs hehe. Their most famous is probably Up & Down and if you've been in the kpop world for a while, you have to have heard that song at least once. Especially since Namjoon, Jungkook, and Jimin literally danced to it oml. That was...a time, sis. That's all I gotta say.

So another thing I have to mention is my progress on the next story that I'm writing! People who follow me on instagram are aware as I update them, but at this current time I have over 15+ chapters done which is pretty exciting and neat. It's a BTS x Reader so it's interesting having all the boys be so incredibly involved again. Sometimes I don't know what I'm doing and I wonder how the heck I managed to write Era and Warehouse. Either way, I'm trying my hardest with writing it!!

As this author note comes to a close, I'd like to mention that I do have a website that I try to make general announcements on. You'll have to check it and read them since there's no real thing that will notify you, but I have some important stuff on there. Just about writing progress, future stories, past stories, and update schedules. That's if you want to have something a little more casual and laid back. I have a fanfiction instagram that's @/ _dina_soar where I post a lot on my stories. I mention my progress a lot on there, teasers, sometimes spoilers, I answer questions, you see my fanart, and it's possible to interact with me more there. I usually try to make IG stories interactive. I'm not always good at talking though so bare with me and my awkward self lol.

I suppose that's all that I wanted to mention to you guys for now. As always, my author's note is long since there's always so much to say. I don't interact with you guys much here on wattpad. I try to respond to you guys even if it's 'thank you'. Not all comments are possible to respond to but do know that I read them and I'm grateful towards all the supportive comments. The ones that motivate me and notice my efforts are dear to my heart. Thank you.

For everything <3


	48. Life

**Bonus Ending**

  
A total of three years have passed and the kingdom was thriving. Though there were the occasional sparks of outraged folk that the Crown Prince was half blood, those were quickly put out. They were dealt with firmly since you knew a thing or two about handling people like that. Namjoon also made it clear to his people that this was how the dynasty was moving forward. Having you as his Queen would lead to a better future. A chance was given and things have been going great ever since. No one really cared that Lady Eunchae wasn't the Queen of their nation. Who cares about pure blood anyway? Though calling Eunchae a Lady didn't really work well seeing as she committed high treason. She's been dead for three years though. Namjoon had her decapitated which you thought was the right thing to do.

Her and all her people were killed for the acts they helped commit. Only Namjoon's uncle survived, but he wasn't living the wealthy life he used to. Eunchae did a lot of damage to her own family. Selfish. Though that was in the past now and you wanted to move on. There was never a time you could stop to think with your son growing. He was able to walk and talk, maybe not well, but he talked! He looked a lot like his father while sharing a few of your characteristics. Minjun is extremely precious to you and Namjoon. He's both of your worlds! The only thing was that he could be quite the troublemaker in a way. He would run off all the time which scared you to death so many times.

Like now for example! Where is that boy? Picking up the heavy fabric of your gown, you wished there weren't so many layers. Being Queen was ridiculously extravagant at times. All you wanted to do was shed a few layers and be able to run. Quite the contrast from what you used to wish for. It was funny at times. Rushing past palace women, you didn't bother glancing at them as they bowed. There were plenty of servants doing the same thing as you ran around, but none of them were telling you where your son was or offering to help you. This was all your fault too! You decided to take a nap with him and when you woke up, he was gone! Gone how!? The doors are heavy and eunuchs are supposed to open them so who would let your child out?!

"Minjun!!" You cried out, your heart hammering against your chest. At this point you were growing miserable by the second. Your bottom lip was quivering as you kept looking around the courtyard. It was tempting to fall on your knees and just cry, but you were a warrior. You'll cry once you have him in your arms again.

"What's going on?" Taehyung's voice made you jump. Turning around, you saw Taehyung ready to reach out for your shoulder. Behind him were Jimin and Hoseok who were staring at you in confusion.

"Minjun, the Crown Prince, I can't find him." You frowned as Hoseok's brows furrowed.

"He's missing? Oh no." Jimin brought his hands to his face anxiously. He rushed over to your side, placing a hand on your shoulder. "We'll help you find him, my Queen!"

"Yes, your Majesty! We'll assist you so please do not fret any longer!" Taehyung said as the two nodded. Hoseok shook his head at them as he looked at you with pursed lips.

"Minjun is with the King, your Majesty. He took him out of the room about an hour ago and I was with him at the time," Hoseok stated as you felt your heartbeat relax. Minjun is with his father? This was great news and also it made you want to shake Namjoon. Letting out a heavy sigh, you groaned and kicked the ground. All that worrying and stress! At least Minjun is safe and being watched. "I told the King you would panic, but he said you would be calm about it."

"Calm!?" You laughed as your marched up to jab Hoseok in the chest. Taehyung and Jimin snickered in the background, clearly amused with you attacking the messenger. Hoseok was visibly frowning at you as he held his hands up to show his innocence. "Lead me to Namjoon this once! I need to talk to him."

"Oh, is he in trouble?" Taehyung smirked.

"Can we come?" Jimin clasped his eyes together, giving you his big begging eyes. You don't even know why they would want to come. If they want!

As soon as you gave them permission, Taehyung and Jimin were excited. They were whispering a lot to each other as they stayed behind Hoseok and you. Those two were practically inseparable now that they've had time to bond. Their friendship was enough to make Hoseok jealous after all. While Hoseok and Jimin were still brothers to each other, Namjoon now had a new friend trailing behind him everywhere he went. Hoseok may not have always been doing good things in his life, but he was a good person. He was able to give Namjoon the advice he needed and sometimes you felt like that was really nerve wracking. Something Hoseok could say would affect the entire nation, but Hoseok stayed calm. Maybe being a thief for so many years trained him like this.

Hoseok didn't really say much of anything as he took you over to Namjoon. He was only summarizing everything Namjoon had done before he left the King alone. Apparently Namjoon took Minjun over to Hwayoung's pond. He's lucky he took Minjun there! You're not about to scold him at the memorial you created for Hwayoung. That was still a tender spot to you. Despite time passing by, the wound still felt fresh on certain days. It was little things. Sometimes you just wanted to tell her something silly or something would remind you of her. It was hard to say you were fully healed, but you were moving on in a healthy way. You hoped the same for Seungwon.

Seungwon still lived in the old shack that Taehyung used to live in. He wrote letters to you guys often. Mainly to assure the two of you that he was doing fine out there. He knew how much the both of you worried for him. Seungwon seemed relaxed every time he visited once a year to take a look at Hwayoung's pond. You couldn't really tell what was going on through his mind though. He talked about Hwayoung's grave and all the flowers he planted. He was constantly making sure that it looked pretty. That was the simple life he wanted to live out with Hwayoung. Namjoon had his few private talks with Seungwon, but you never bothered to ask what they were about. Everyone was healing in their own ways to remember Hwayoung in a positive light.

That's why you weren't about to whine in front of your son at Hwayoung's pond even though his father needed to give you a warning next time. He literally scared you to tears. Namjoon was holding Minjun, sitting down with him near the pond. He was pointing out the fishes that were swimming around in the water when you noticed all the girls around the King. Though they were no longer titled as angels, all the girls wanted to continue protecting the King with their life and naturally followed him everywhere out of pure habit. Though the fact that thy never bothered to bring this up to you made you want to scream. Taehyung and Jimin were getting ready for you to put on your Mother voice as they so affectionately called it. Hoseok took a step aside as you marched up to Namjoon and Minjun.

"Do you see that fish? It looks pretty, doesn't it?" Namjoon directed Minjun's chubby hand to point at the exact fish he was looking at.

"It is pretty!! Pretty!" Minjun squealed. He was easily excited by anything which only made Namjoon's heart melt as well as your own.

"Namjoon." You stood behind the two. Namjoon turned his head in surprise while Minjun gasped. He got off his father's lap, running over to hug the bottom of your dress.

"Eomma!" Minjun bounced.

By the sound of your voice, the rest of the girls around Hwayoung's pond paused. Originally, Jeonghwa was loudly complaining to Hyelin about all the failed suitors. Hyelin was barely listen as she stared at the plants around the area. Hyojin was making a flower crown while Solji was feeding the fishes crumbs of bread on the bridge. Heeyeon was eating the bread Solji packed in the first place, immediately getting scolded by the eldest. Hyojin laughed loudly from that though it all stopped once they saw you. Each of the girls immediately crossed over the bridge to get in a line and bow to you. At this point you've gotten used to it, but sometimes it would be odd. They were messing around so freely and now they're bowing to you?

"Hello, my Queen. Did you rest well?" Namjoon got up from the ground. He walked up to you to grab your hands into his. He slowly noticed the pout on your face before he glanced over at his three friends. Hoseok, Taehyung, and Jimin were silently giving him a look that he knew how to read by now. "Oh...did I do something wrong?"

"I was scared, Namjoon." You frowned as he rubbed his thumb over your hands. "Can you please tell me when you're going to take Minjun if I'm sleeping?"

"But you looked so peaceful sleeping. I didn't want to wake you and Minjun was making a lot of noise in his room." Namjoon leaned to press his forehead against you. He pouted lightly as you sighed softly. "I will do that if that's what you want. I don't want you getting so worried."

"Thank you." You smiled as he pressed his lips against yours. It was for a brief moment since Minjun kept tugging at your gown. You broke the kiss by giggling and Namjoon picked up the boy who was needy for Mom's attention. He stretched his arms out to you and you quickly took him into your arms. The two of you were cooing at Minjun who was beyond spoiled.

"This is painfully sweet." Hoseok crossed his arms.

"I want that!" Jeonghwa groaned. "Why can't I have that?" She turned to Hyelin who looked at her with a tired expression.

"Change your taste in men!" Hyelin shouted. Jeonghwa scoffed at her unnie only to see the others were nodding along with her. They coughed awkwardly to her dismay. Jeonghwa looked over at you and Namjoon, watching as the two of you bit your lips not to say anything. Her mouth was wide open at this point in disbelief.

"Why are you surprised? We've been telling you this for years now." Taehyung raised a brow at her.

"Improve your taste in men and maybe you'll have luck." Jimin shrugged as if it were that easy. The maknae of the girls was ready to throw her shoe at those two boys. They were of the same year so she felt confident in getting away with it. Jimin and Taehyung wrapped their arms around each other, laughing as they prepared themselves to run if they had to. They didn't take her glare seriously in the slightest. Jeonghwa huffed at them for the constant teasing they gave her for what she felt was for no reason.

Minjun squirmed in your arms, noticing Jeonghwa's mood. You gently set him down on the ground to watch him run over to Jeonghwa. Her eyes widened to see his small form before softening. He was just the sweetest! You clutched your chest as Namjoon wrapped his arms around you. He's the perfect baby. All the ladies gathered around Minjun, unable to control themselves from doting on him. He was the Crown Prince and everything he did made you bubble with pride. Maybe that's just because you were his Mother since you knew Namjoon felt the exact same way as his Father. With the girls giving all their attention on Minjun, the boys ran over to join in.

"Stay away from the Crown Prince!" Jeonghwa pointed a finger at Jimin and Taehyung.

"Last I checked, I'm his physician." Taehyung put his hand on his chest, the other patting Minjun's little head.

"Yeah! And I'm his assistant!" Jimin crouched down to give Minjun a kiss on the cheek.

"They stole my job," Solji joked as the two males blushed in embarrassment. Solji soon tilted her head in thought. "Or technically my nonexistent eldest daughter's job?"

"Don't worry about it too hard." Hyelin laughed, patting Solji's back.

"Minjun, are you hungry?" Hoseok held up a fruit in his hands. At the sight of food, Minjun ran from them to Hoseok's feet. He reached his hands up, jumping until Hoseok handed it to him.

"Where were you hiding that?" Hyojin furrowed her brows. She looked the male over as she struggled to understand how that fruit could have been hiding on him.

"They're called pockets," Hoseok flatly stated.

"Must be a thief thing." Heeyeon shrugged, her words making Hoseok's eye twitch.

"It is!" Jimin nodded ecstatically.

"JIMIN."

Namjoon was already shaking his head at his close friend. Hoseok was still getting upset at Jimin for his unnecessary honesty. You thought it was a nice charm to Jimin. It was the whole reason they were still alive anyway. Taehyung clasped his hand over his mouth, badly hiding the fact of how funny he found this. Hoseok scoffed as he began to scold the two younger males. Minjun was eating his fruit, moving on to walk over to Solji. The eldest sat down, knowing exactly what Minjun wanted. The boy turned around to sit in her lap and munch on his food. Hyojin took a seat next to the two as she placed the flower crown she created on the Crown Prince's head.

"Aigoo, look at him eat! He's going to be big and strong!" Solji smiled.

"Such a handsome little boy!" Hyojin pinched Minjun's chubby cheek.

"I am," Minjun said with his mouth full.

"Ah, our boy is spoiled." Namjoon laughed, pulling you closer by the waist. You happily rested your head against his chest as you watched the scene in front of you. It warmed your heart to see all your close friends playing with your son. All at Hwayoung's pond as well. She was here with you guys too. Always.

"Spoiled with love." You looked up at Namjoon as he slowly leaned down to peck your lips.

Namjoon still stared at you full of love. The same amount of passion and love from the moment he realized he had fallen in love with his guardian angel. The two of you held each other tightly, enjoying the moment together with your friends. Without having to say anything, the both of you knew Namjoon wished Seungwon would be here more often. He missed his best friend a lot and worried for him. Seungwon was doing well for himself though from the few visits he's made and through the letters he makes sure to write. He made a new home where he vowed to continue taking care of Hwayoung even after her death. That was the life he wanted to live until the next one.

Seungwon was currently packing up loose flowers he picked while roaming around the forest. He knew that Hwayoung never picked flowers up herself, but she would understand his gesture. With the flowers tied up and in a basket, Seungwon made the long walk over to Hwayoung's grave. He didn't care how long it took to see her. He always made the effort every day and it wasn't an inconvenience in the slightest. No matter the weather, Seungwon would make sure to give Hwayoung company even for five minutes. He loved her after all. It wasn't easy to let go seeing as they never had a proper goodbye, but he highly doubted the rest of you had one with her as well. He was too scared to ask knowing it would hurt him. Talking about her death was painful for obvious reasons, so he tried not to.

"I'm here, Hwayoung," Seungwon spoke softly as he walked up to her grave. It was heavily decorated with flowers as nature took over as well as Seungwon's own touch. "Did you miss me?" The male chuckled as he placed down the flowers at the foot of her grave. He crouched down low to bow in front of the burial. He was paying respects to her for a couple minutes. Eventually Seungwon lifted himself up to sit and look her grave over. "I hope you're doing well, Hwayoung. I really do..." Seungwon licked his bottom lip as he felt his throat become dry. "I miss you so much...I wonder if we'll truly get to marry in the next life, but (F/n) told me you said so. I took it as a promise, okay? Does that sound good?" Seungwon let out a weak laugh. He wiped his eyes as he smiled at the pink flower directly above her grave. "We'll be luckier then, huh? In the next life...I'll hold you to it." Seungwon felt the familiar ache in his chest. That was his main source of hope. The next life will be better.

*~*

The two of you were running late! Practice went on a lot longer than the two of you intended, but it didn't help that Hwayoung wanted to go into the locker room. There was no point since you two miraculously shared the same brain cell and forgot to bring a spare change of clothes. Hwayoung brought her bag with you to your house and you had yours all prepped. Then by the time you guys were at the taekwondo center, you both realized your regular clothes was left behind. It was extremely tragic. Especially since your Mom left the house to go grocery shopping so she couldn't get them right away. She had a long list of errands to do which she told you beforehand. Naturally out of embarrassment, you decided not to call her. All Hwayoung and you carried were your phones.

The plan would have originally been to shower here, change into your street clothes, and then go out hang with the girls only to have it be ruined. Hwayoung was still insistent on taking a shower though. You tried reasoning with her on rushing to your home to shower and change. Hwayoung was stubborn though as if you would thank her for showering here instead. It didn't really make a difference as you put on the same sweaty taekwondo outfit on. Tying your black belt around your waist, you watched Hwayoung douse herself in perfume which managed to help with the smell of her outfit. Genius! You spread your arms out as she noticed you.

"Come on, Hwayoung! Spray me down!" You cheered as she laughed at you.

"Close your mouth and eyes, Idiot." Hwayoung walked over you. She probably used over half of her perfume getting the two of you to smell decent but it was worth it. Better than smelling like an onion. "See? I told you showering here was better."

"You just wanted to feel clean right away." You rolled your eyes. She did this more for herself than anything. Taking a look at your phone, you sighed to see no texts in the group chat with the girls. "Let's hurry already! The girls are going to start texting us soon!"

"What girls?" Hwayoung scoffed as she opened her locker.

"You know what girls." You leaned against the cold metal. "Solji unnie, Hyojin unnie, Heeyeon unnie, Hyelin unnie, and Jeonghwa. Obviously!"

"Right. We go to an all girl's school, (F/n). You need to be more specific." Hwayoung smiled at you. She placed the perfume in her locker, taking her sweet time.

"All those other girls are b*tches though..." You pouted to see her cover her mouth with her hand. Even if she tried to muffle it, Hwayoung laughed and agreed with you right away. That's because it was true! "Now let's go! See the time?" You shoved your phone in Hwayoung's face.

"Get your phone out of my face, Horse girl." Hwayoung leaned back.

"Horse girl!?" You scoffed, looking down at your phone screen. It was of a horse, but how could you be blamed? They were so cute and amazing! You loved them so much and it didn't matter how much pictures of horses you had, Hwayoung couldn't deny how happy they made you. "Horses are great!"

"I was just calling you a horse girl. That's all." Hwayoung smirked to earn an eye roll from you.

She shut her locker and you immediately linked arms with her. It was time to go!! Hwayoung knew how impatient you could get so you didn't want to hear any complaining from her. As the two of you ran in the direction of your house, you both naturally began bickering over the silliest of things. It was all in good fun of course. Just things like one of these days you're going to beat her when you spar with her. It's going to happen! Hwayoung kept telling you that she wanted to see you try. How dare she? She better be careful since you were training extra hard lately! The two of you were giggling loudly when you turned around the corner sharply. It happened so suddenly as the two of hit collided with two other people. Just your luck!

Hwayoung and you fell back onto the ground, letting out yelps. Crap. Thankfully enough it didn't really hurt that much. You would be able to walk it off and you were certain Hwayoung would be able to do the same. She was a strong girl. You were rubbing your butt as the person in front of Hwayoung extended their hand out to her. She blinked at it before shyly taking it, getting pulled onto her feet. Your eyes watched to see what was going on. Were they mad? Hwayoung kept her head down nervously, but the guy staring down at her had a nice smile on his face. He wasn't intimidating in the slightest bit. Hwayoung was turning read when she realized she was still holding his hand.

"Are you okay? We're sorry about that." The man rubbed the back of his neck as Hwayoung slowly lifted her head up to meet his eyes. In that moment, he froze and so did Hwayoung. They stared each other for what felt like forever. "I-I'm Seungwon."

"Hwayoung...I'm Hwayoung!" She was so red. You furrowed your brows at your friend, stunned to see her acting like that. The two of you may not get a lot of opportunities to talk to guys, but she's never reacted this way with one before.

With an amused smile, you soon noticed a hand in front of you. Right! How could you forget? You bumped into his friend too. Taking the hand, you felt embarrassed as you stood up onto your own feet. Now you were blushing bright pink with how long you stayed down on the floor and without saying sorry too. What were doing? You dusted off your clothes before bowing down to the stranger you felt too embarrassed to look at. You didn't want to look into their eyes the entire time you apologized repeatedly with your head down, but then they laughed. Laughed? You lifted your head up in confusion as you felt your heart skip a beat.

He was beautiful.

"Quit apologizing already." He smiled at you, dimples deep in his cheeks. You could have melted right there. What was wrong with you? You lost all your breath as you stared at him. He soon noticed you were quiet when he realized you had your head up now. His own eyes stared widely at you, stammering as he spoke, "I-It's fine. Really."

"I-I'm (F/n)." You fidgeted with your hands as he seemed to turn soft. He stuck his hand out for you to take once more but in a different sense.

"Hello, (F/n). I'm Namjoon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/n: Okay so I wasn't planning on writing a bonus ending but I started to feel differently about it and aaah it's very rushed since I made it last minute but I think I got my point across for the first half. The second half well dhdhsksj just me trying to put them in a modern world uwu and them finding each other all over again. This time no deaths. This way I could Dynasty ends happy without hesitating lol anyway thank you so much for re


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